Daughters of Sea and Snow
by SniperCT
Summary: As the Horde and Alliance tears themselves apart in their war, Jaina accidentally rips a hole between her world and another. Trapped on a strange planet far from the corrupting influence of blood lust and Old Gods, Jaina finds a kindred spirit. For Queen Elsa, it's a chance to discover more about herself and what she's capable of.
1. The Horde Never Bothered Me Anyway

_**(I literally started writing this in November of last year after SOMEONE made an offhand comment in Discord (like, literally 366 days prior to the release date for Frozen 2 ;)). It turned into a side project while I worked on other things and I've really enjoyed writing it.**_

_**It was meant to be a shortish little thing but here we are.)**_

"Where … am I?"

Jaina didn't know if she'd spoken aloud or not. She lay in snow, barely feeling the cold dampness as pain lanced through her body. Sharpness in her back, a throbbing slash on her side and another on the opposite hip.

She stood on shaking legs, peering around at the forest. This was not where Jaina had intended to portal to.

Her boots crunched as she left a trail of blood in the snow. The stars above were unfamiliar to her, constellations she'd never seen before glimmering in the inky black.

It might be a hallucination from pain and blood loss, because she saw only one moon, a slim crescent rising above unfamiliar mountains.

She stumbled over a hidden root, catching herself on a tree, smearing the bark with her blood as her side and leg sent jolts of pain through her body. Every movement felt leaden at best, and agonizing at worst, the black-feathered arrow that had impaled her between spine and heart twinging with each jerk of her body.

Wrapping her arm around herself again, Jaina tugged at the remnants of her power, casting a spell to freeze the blood in her wound in a desperate attempt to staunch the flow. Time, she needed to buy herself time ... Time to get help, time…

An animal crossed her path and she squinted through blurring vision. It was just a deer, and it bounded away when it spotted her.

A road, a town, she needed to find something that wasn't Horde controlled. If they didn't try to kill her, they'd use her for ransom, and she would not allow _that_. Jaina _could_ not allow that. She'd kill them before they had a chance to blink even if the effort meant she'd bleed to death. Every tree could hide a soldier or worse, a champion. And here she was, easy prey. A prize.

Stepping into a clearing, Jaina lifted her hand, wiping blood from her eyes as she sensed magic.

There was someone there, a human woman. She wore a velvet gown,silver stars and snowflakes glittering across midnight blue. As Jaina sagged against a tree, she watched the woman create trails of ice and snow in the air and draw sculptures up from the ground. A mage then. Jaina almost fell over from relief, stumbling even as she tried to move forward.

The woman's laugh was sweet and clear like bells, the sound trailing off as Jaina's legs gave out and she dropped to her knees, the impact jarring her wounds so suddenly that she cried out in pain.

The world swam, the woman's voice a distant echo as she rushed over. Jaina gasped, trying to speak, trying to see through the encroaching fog. "Champion … help…" And then she fell face first into the snow.

**❄️**

It was daylight when Jaina opened her eyes, the sun streaming through open curtains in a tall window. They were blue and white, made from some fabric that told Jaina their owner was a person of means.

She turned her head, startled when a woman's face leaned over and greeted her. It was a beautiful face, with high cheekbones, wide, sapphire eyes and lips like a rose bud.

Jaina was too tired and in too much pain to do anything but admire her. This must be the mage she'd found. Her gown seemed too thin for the cold, clinging to her like a second skin; but if the cold bothered her she did not let on.

Rubbing one hand across the other, the woman smiled. Kind, warm, if a little concerned and probably nervous. Jaina had fallen half dead at her feet, so she couldn't blame her for any of that.

Jaina made to sit up, but she was pushed back down, her side and back twinging at the motion.

"You're badly hurt, I don't think you should be moving around any time soon."

Her voice was pretty too, though her accent was strange.

"I have to…" Jaina squinted one eye shut, groaning. "…lay here, I think. But I must get a message to Stormwind. It's… it's imperative for the war effort. King Wrynn … must be…"

"Stormwind? King Wrynn?" The woman's brow furrowed. "War? What _war_?"

Jaina remembered the strange sky and the missing moon and closed her other eye. Faintly, she whispered, "Where am I?"

"You are in the Kingdom of Arendelle. I'm Queen Elsa."

"Lord Adm-Jaina … I'm Jaina." There was no Arendelle on Azeroth, nor a Queen named Elsa. There were two moons and a sky Jaina knew as well as she knew her own body, the constellations she'd watched and studied her whole life as familiar to her as a friend's smile. She briefly toyed with the thought that maybe this was Azshara's doing, somehow. Her eyes flitted to the window again. "This may seem an odd question, but what is this planet called?"

Elsa leaned back at the question, eyes blinking several times as if she were trying to understand something that made absolutely no sense. Again, Jaina couldn't blame her. She knew she sounded like a madwoman.

"Earth." Elsa said. She rose to her feet, elegant and regal and Jaina wondered how she'd ever mistaken her for a mere champion. "I shall retrieve the doctor."

Watched over by the Queen, Jaina thought. She must have made quite the impression, with her nearly dying and all.

**❄️**

Perhaps the woman was mad from blood loss and pain, Elsa wondered. Why else would this Jaina ask her such a strange question as to what the _Earth_ was called. Of the planets there was Mercury and Venus, Mars, Ceres and Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. And the moons, she supposed. She paused in the hallway, wondering if Jaina was some kind of _visitor_.

There was something different about her. About the wounds she'd watched the doctor treat and the strange, foul arrow that he'd removed. There was something in Jaina's blood that sang to Elsa's, a power there that was completely unfamiliar and haunting and yet comforting. Yet the blood was red, the body human. Elsa found her face warming at the thought of that body.

She looked down at her hands, then back towards the door, behind which Jaina lay. Jaina spoke of wars and kingdoms that did not exist, and as she'd been treated she'd whispered and moaned things that made even less sense than anything else.

What was a Sylvanas? A Horde? An Old God? There was only _one_ God, outside of ancient myth.

"Elsa?" Anna touched her elbow, and Elsa started.

"Yes?"

"Is she awake?"

Snapping out of it, Elsa started to walk. "Yes, she just woke up. I was getting the doctor."

Anna nodded, falling into step beside her sister. Elsa instantly felt at ease. All the fits and starts and bumps and hills to climb over the past five years had made their bond stronger.

"Kind of strange, isn't it?" Anna asked. "Fifth anniversary of your coronation is coming up and this woman kind of falls out of the sky. Like magic!"

"She didn't fall out of the sky, Anna," Elsa laughed, even if she couldn't be entirely sure that Anna was _wrong_. "But you're right, there is something magical about her. I can … feel it. Like a pulse around her. It's faint, but it's there."

Elsa had a million questions for Jaina, nearly as many as she had about herself. None of her books had been able to tell her very much about herself or how the magic of the world worked, and she'd traveled several times in vain efforts to find out more. While she might be confident in her skill _now_, Elsa still had that need to know and a fear deep in the pit of her stomach that one day her skill and control would fail her and she'd once again hurt someone she loved.

Anna's hand on her shoulder brought her back to the present, and she looked down into concerned green eyes. "You went away again. Are you okay?"

"I … yes, I think so." Elsa frowned. Sometimes she got lost in her thoughts as they spiraled over and into themselves like a mental maze and it took Anna or Olaf to snap her back to the present. Fortunately, it rarely happened when she was holding court.

At least not any more.

"I'll get the doctor," Anna decided. She added, knowingly, "You can save your questions for when that woman isn't at death's door."

Elsa gave her a grateful smile.

"What would you do without me?" Anna said, spinning and starting to walk away.

"Have peace and quiet," Elsa called out, before folding her arms over her stomach and walking to a hall window. The sky had grown overcast in the past few minutes and Elsa could feel the pending storm. She put a hand on the window, considering whether to allow it to happen or not.

There was a balance she had to strike, when it came to nature. Not cold enough, or not enough snow, and it could cause as many problems as a particularly harsh winter. And blizzards; if Elsa held back too many of them, she risked creating those harsh winters she wanted to avoid. She had personal experience with the rage of winter when it was held back too long, and winter? Liked to overcompensate.

This storm spoke to her as her power caressed it; a few nights of snow, some light wind. Pleasant nights in front of the fireplace at worst.

Turning from the window, she watched as Anna and Arendelle's bushy bearded doctor rushed past. Curiosity warred with propriety and won, and Elsa followed them, lingering in the doorway.

Despite her command not to, Jaina was sitting up, smiling sadly at a chubby little girl who'd wandered in and climbed onto her bed.

"Iduna!" Anna put her hands on her hips. "The nice lady needs to rest."

Iduna, barely more than two and with her father's golden hair and mother's green eyes and ruddy cheeks, grinned at them.

"I don't mind," Jaina assured them, looking at the girl with an expression so sad it almost broke Elsa's heart. "I love children."

"She can visit you as much as she wants," Anna said, picking Iduna up. "Once you're not at risk of pulling out your stitches."

"That's right," Elsa agreed, smiling proudly at Anna, before her eyes slid back to Jaina's face. "She's a handful, too much like her mother."

Jaina looked between her and Anna. "Sisters?"

"Yep!" Anna bounced Iduna on her hip, then shifted from foot to foot as a telltale sign of her own inability to stay still. It was an endearing trait. Most of the time.

Elsa sighed, then gestured at the doctor almost helplessly as he looked Jaina over.

"You're healing remarkably fast," the doctor said. "At this rate you'll have healed the worst of it in a matter of weeks, but that arrow'll leave a scar."

Throat bobbing, Elsa asked. "How is that possible?"

"Beats me." The doctor shrugged. He gently pushed Jaina back down. "Just stay in bed for the next couple of days."

He stood and pointed at Elsa, "And you, your majesty, try not to hover."

"I don't hover."

"Remember when Iduna had the chickenpox?" Anna chimed in helpfully.

"And when Princess Anna broke her leg," The doctor added, closing his bag.

"Doctor Hynynen," Elsa said, lifting her chin high. "I do not hover."

He just flashed a smile at her, bowed his head, and made his exit.

Anna put her hand to one side of her mouth as if to mask her voice from her sister. "She does."

"I can't think of better company," Jaina said, looking at Elsa. "But you should see to your country, your majesty."

"Call me Elsa."

Jaina frowned, an expression that immediately made Elsa feel on edge. There were lines around Jaina's eyes, and weight on her shoulders that even Elsa could feel.

Her eyes fell to where Jaina's clothing had been discarded. The formal, military cut of the robes. The staff that lay propped up against the wall near the door. Jaina was looking at her when she returned her gaze to the woman, and she quirked her brow at her.

Anna seemed to catch Elsa's subtle cue, and quickly slipped out with Iduna. Elsa closed the door behind her, and casually picked up the staff.

"Careful with that," Jaina jerked forward, then hissed in pain, hand over her stomach..

"A walking staff?" Power thrummed through it, Elsa's magic cracking in her veins like ice in a river in response. She set it back down.

"It's a lot … more than a walking staff." And something flashed on Jaina's face before she sank back against her pillow and closed her eyes.

Elsa took a seat next to her, waiting to see if she'd passed out before speaking. "My sister seems to think you fell from the sky."

"She's not far off the mark," Jaina replied, eyes flicking across Elsa's face.

**❄️**

Gods, but she was tired. It wasn't just her injuries, or the realization she'd somehow slipped between worlds. Jaina was tired of _everything_. Her life the past few years had been nothing but suffering and war, one disaster after another.

But she wouldn't burden this young queen with that weight. There were shadows in Elsa's eyes, a story there of her own suffering. But there was still hope for her. Hope for happiness and peace. And even as part of Jaina wanted to reach out to her, she couldn't let herself. Let herself get attached, expose this woman to the trauma and anger that burned inside her skin.

So she stuck to the basics. That she was Lord Admiral of Kul Tiras, a leader in the Alliance, and that they warred with Sylvanas's Horde. Her last memories had been on board an Alliance gunship as it was under attack, and she used her magic to attempt to escape even as she was blown overboard.

Somehow, in that chaos, she'd wound up in Arendelle.

"So you have _magic_?" Elsa seemed to be holding her breath, her eyes wide with curiosity and the kind of fear and worry that Jaina understood down to her bones.

"So do you," Jaina pointed out. "I saw it, in the forest. You're a frost mage. A little bit like me."

"There's never been anyone like me." Elsa looked down at her hand, holding her palm up.

Before Jaina's eyes, Elsa created a perfect replica of her, standing with her staff and looking out onto the horizon. "I control ice and snow. I can create almost whatever I wish with it. I don't know if that makes me a mage or not, but you're the first person I've met who can do magic too, rather than have it happen to them."

"There's an entire school of mages. Both sides in the war employ many," Jaina murmured, eyes fixated on that perfect sculpture. Such control, such a fine eye for detail. Something stirred inside Jaina. Old wishes, old memories. "You're very good, Elsa."

The Queen's face was tense. Not from the effort. All of Elsa's magic seemed effortless, as if she had some bottomless well to draw from. But she'd tensed at mages in war. What kind of world was this, with magic hidden away? Did they even have _war_?

Jaina could no longer imagine a world _without_ war. Once, many years ago, she'd been able to. She'd envisioned it, enough to get other people to go along with it. She'd had hope that differences could be bridged. But in a single catastrophic moment, everything had changed. Hope was for fools and the innocent.

"Jaina?"

She realized too late that tears had escaped, leaving streaks down her cheeks. Looking away, she wet her lips. "I need to rest."

"Of course." Elsa stood, but hesitated. Jaina could feel her eyes on her and stopped herself from saying something she'd regret.

She glanced back at her, seething a little at the concern and curiosity in Elsa's eyes and asked sharply, "What? Your majesty."

"Would you like something to read?" Elsa's voice was calm, her hands clasping in front of her, fingers tightening together.

Jaina was taken aback by the question, anger cooling. "I … yes, thank you."

A tense smile curved on Elsa's lips as her hands loosened. "I'll send a few books your way then, _Lord Admiral_."

"Just … just call me Jaina." She felt suddenly disarmed and a bit like an asshole but was in no mood to apologize.

"We'll find you a way home," Elsa said, before stepping outside and closing the door.


	2. War Footing

The storm lasted two days, dropping several inches of snow onto Arendelle. Anna always loved storms like that; they were a lot less scary than Elsa on a bad day, anyway, and she got to be cozy with… well she had a variety of people to choose from. Kristoff and Iduna, Elsa, Olaf … her _family_.

She strode into the dining room, coming to a stop at the sight of Jaina sitting at the table, a bowl in front of her. Anna bounced on her heels for a moment, before striding over, pulling out the seat next to Jaina and plopping herself down onto it. "Hey!"

Jaina glanced at her, spoon halfway to her mouth. She looked like she hadn't slept, dark bags under her eyes and the lines on her face shadowed. "Hello?"

But Anna focused more on the streak of gold in her silver hair, reaching up to twirl some around her finger. "I used to have something like this. Mine was a white streak though. In almost the same spot!"

Lowering the spoon, Jaina gave her more attention. "Did you?"

"Totally." Anna tapped her forehead. "See, when we were little kids we were playing at night. And we weren't supposed to and I kinda maybe sorta pushed Elsa harder than I should have, but I was like, five, you know? Anyway she lost control while trying to keep up with me and _zap_! She hit me in the head with her powers."

Jaina stared at her, eyes slowly widening and mouth hanging open as Anna continued. "And there was this whole _thing_ with the _trolls_ wiping my memory and Elsa tried to protect me by isolating herself and it all went horribly wrong for awhile and I still totally have abandonment issues and then when she was crowned she lost control and set off an eternal winter and there was this whole _thing_ with this evil prince trying to marry me then kill me to take over the country and Elsa kind of accidentally froze my heart but everything is okay because we discovered that my love for her was enough to save me when I sacrificed myself to save her."

Anna patted her hands on the table in front of her, grinning at Jaina.

Slowly, Jaina set her spoon down, blinking her eyes and shaking her head a little as if trying to process that information dump. "But she can control her power now?"

"Oh yeah! Like … you know," Anna leaned back in her chair. "I don't know how it works? And I don't think she does either? I mean how the heck can she make _clothing_ with her powers? It's crazy!"

"Wait … what?" Jaina pressed two fingers to her forehead. "I guess that explains why she can wear something like that and not feel cold."

"Yeah, she loves gowns, it's kind of cute if you ask me. We both have our styles. Elsa's elegant and I'm … not. Oh hey, how are you feeling?"

Jaina just nodded, twitching slightly at the change of subject. "Everything hurts and I can't warn my people and friends about what's coming for them. Otherwise I'm just _fine_."

"So what's coming?" Anna asked, and a chill ran down her spine at the darkness in Jaina's reply.

"The end."

Anna stared at her. "That's … descriptive."

"It's not a threat to Arendelle, or Earth," Jaina assured her. "And it's best if the only nightmares it haunts are my own."

"Look," Anna said. "I know you just met us and all, but we're not bad guys. We want to help. I don't know how, but … we kind of always are able to figure things out together. Eventually."

"I appreciate the sentiment." Jaina got to her feet, picking up her bowl. "But I learned a long time ago that trust is-" She abruptly shouted, dropping the bowl.

It shattered on the ground as Jaina lifted her hands, blue energy swirling around her wrists as strange symbols glowed all around her.

Anna lunged forward, grabbing Jaina's arm and pointing it at the ceiling. "Whoa whoa! That's just Olaf!"

Jaina turned her head to Anna, giving her a wild-eyed look that made Anna wonder just what kind of war she'd come from. She put a hand on her back, rubbing in circles and careful to avoid where the bandages were. "Breathe in and out, slowly. This is a safe place."

Olaf waddled over from where he'd entered the dining room, and peered up at Jaina as the mage breathed heavily and rapidly. He grinned. "Hi! I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!"

The magic around Jaina wobbled and then snapped away, disappearing to places that Anna couldn't even guess at. She watched Jaina put a hand on top of Olaf's head, no small amount of wonder in her voice. "I'm … I'm Jaina."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance," Olaf said.

Jaina looked down at him, then at her other hand. Water sparkled in it and streamed from every available source until a strange, bobbing creature appeared next to Jaina. It was about Olaf's size, a swirling ball of water with arms and glowing blue eyes. "This is a water elemental. He's a friend."

"I love friends," Olaf whispered, staring in awe.

Jaina gestured and the elemental bobbed towards the exit. Olaf quickly followed, but stopped at the door. "Oh! Elsa's in the library and invited you! Toodles!"

And then he was gone, his giggling echoing down the hallway.

"Snow elemental," Jaina mused, leaning against the table as if the effort to use her magic had taken a lot out of her.

Anna stood close enough to offer help should Jaina ask. "Elsa used to build us snowmen when we were kids. And the day she … unleashed herself, I guess, for the first time. She made a snowman, Olaf. Somehow, she put a little bit of herself in him, and a little bit of me in him. He's family. Like our little brother."

Or maybe Elsa's son but that was just weird.

"Okay." Jaina nodded, looking at the doorway with a wistful expression. "Which way is the library."

"Go left, it's twenty-three doors down and on the right, can't miss it."

"Thank you."

Anna reached out, then caught herself. "Are you all right? You're really jumpy."

Jaina looked back at her, and shook her head. "I'm still on a war footing."

"Gotcha." Anna thought there might be other words for that. The same kind of words that had Elsa up at odd hours of the night, pacing through the castle or peeking in when she thought Anna was asleep.

There was something fundamentally broken within Jaina's heart, the kind of hurt that could never be healed the way it had been before. But it _could_ heal, into something new, if Jaina was willing to try.

Anna hoped she was.

**❄️**

Elsa was powerful, Jaina knew. And creative. From talking with the castle staff and Anna, that much was clear. As much as Jaina tried not to let her thoughts go in that direction, she knew Elsa could turn the tide of the war. Not just the war against the Horde, but against the simmering darkness that threatened to engulf the whole of Azeroth.

It wasn't right, and it wasn't fair. Elsa and her people did not need that war, or any war. Jaina had to find a way home, so she could help her people and leave this kingdom to the peace she could never have.

But the temptation to leverage Elsa was strong. An army of ice elementals alone … Elsa could be honed into a weapon of mass destruction, and Jaina felt awful that the thought had even occurred to her.

The library was exactly where the Princess had said it was, large double doors that opened into a cavernous room filled floor to ceiling with books. There were thousands of them, and Jaina felt herself step into another part of her life at the sight of them, a chasm opening inside her chest at the memories.

Elsa sat at a table, a few stacks of books in front of her as she studied the contents of one of them. Her hair was loose and unbraided, falling down her back and onto her shoulders. She wore glasses, thin frames and small round lenses that hung on the tip of her nose.

Another memory came to Jaina, one she'd tried to suppress. A pretty girl, blonde hair in a bun with a strand come loose, leaning over Jaina's desk in a dress with a too-low neckline. Jaina'd stammered like an idiot and excused herself so quickly that she'd never even gotten the other mage's name.

Jaina shook the memory off, focusing instead on how at home Elsa looked and yearning for that feeling for herself. Her words surprised even herself. "All I ever wanted to do was study."

Jumping a little, Elsa ran a hand over her hair then smiled at Jaina. "Come over, have a seat."

Again Jaina noticed Elsa's gown. Thin, with a distractingly low neckline and Jaina caught herself staring at the pale skin, the barely visible freckles on Elsa's face and dusting her shoulders, perhaps the clearest sign she was Anna's sister. Jaina hadn't been touched by someone in three years, four months, and sixteen days, give or take a few hours. That was the only explanation.

That, maybe, and loneliness, and meeting someone who felt almost like a kindred spirit. At least a kindred spirit less jaded than Jaina had become. She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but even from just the limited interactions she'd had with the young Queen, Jaina got a sense of someone who, while reserved, still wanted to reach out to people. Somehow, the world had not yet beat her down.

Jaina envied that, even as she yearned for that simpler time. And if she was honest with herself, Elsa's beauty didn't hurt much either.

She took a seat next to Elsa, and looked down at the book. "What are you researching?"

"Magic," Elsa said. She pushed the book aside with a heavy sigh. "Except I've read these books a hundred times each." And there, Jaina's loneliness was mirrored in Elsa's eyes. She didn't know what to do or think about it.

"Hoping to find answers you didn't see before?" Jaina asked.

"I thought, maybe there was something I'd forgotten that might be useful to you." She turned towards Jaina, looking at her with curious hope, leg brushing Jaina's. "What's it like? A world with magic? Have you ever lost control?"

_The bomb fell in slow motion towards her city, and Rhonin forced her into the portal. The magical detonation flooded her with power and when she'd returned, when she'd seen what little remained, watched the people she'd loved and protected turn to naught but arcane dust when she touched their bodies, the rage and grief consumed her._

"Yes," Jaina said, cautiously. "I've seen what uncontrolled magic can do and I've experienced it myself. But magic is a part of the world, woven into the fabric of reality itself. It can even sometimes _sunder_ reality."

"Is magic bad, or good?"

A simple question, without a simple answer. Jaina guessed that Elsa understood this, and guessed at what she really meant. "Magic is magic. The difference is in who uses it and for what purposes."

"So using it with love," Elsa said, a perfect replica of the castle forming on the table. "Versus hate."

"In a way. A fireball flung with love is no different from one thrown with hate." Jaina called up her power, what little had regenerated. Ice coated her hand, a frigid sphere pulsing in her palm. "I can't even say it's a good person versus bad person thing, either. Since that's subjective."

She allowed the ball to dissipate. "And I have done some _terrible_ things because of that war."

"I think all war is terrible," Elsa replied. "It's the nature of the beast. Killing people, hurting them. It should never be necessary."

A shudder ran through the Queen and Jaina could see the flash of fear in her eyes. That hurting people was anathema to her, that her lost control still haunted her. But despite that, Elsa still had something like hope. She had love and joy and family and a future.

All these things Jaina had possessed and then lost. And she felt so tired. Worn out, like thin ice over a pond just prior to cracking. That gaping chasm inside her yawned wide, and she was glad she was sitting because it felt like a part of her had died in that portal. Her rage and anger and hatred all but extinguished, yet the embers still burned, encased in ice under her skin.

She put her hand on Elsa's shoulder, squeezing, and then letting go but not pulling her hand away when Elsa immediately tensed up at the touch. "Some evils must be fought, but most wars _are_ pointless."

Elsa turned her head, hair falling onto Jaina's hand. "And which is your war with this Horde?"

"Peace," Jaina said, looking through Elsa and into somewhen else. Theramore's ruined crater. Teldrassil burned to ash. Her brother raised as an affront to life itself. War and death and flesh giving beneath her magic and her hands, so much blood, blood and screaming. "Is not always attainable."

"Surely it's worth any price," Elsa insisted, turning fully to Jaina.

Jaina almost laughed. How naive she'd been, to once believe that. In a brittle voice, Jaina said. "What if the price were Arendelle?"

Elsa was taken back, eyes widening. "What do you mean?"

"What if the price of peace is to lose everything you hold dear? For Arendelle to be a smoking ruin, your people dead or dying, or _worse_?" Jaina forced herself to stand, her body protesting at the movement. She saw Anna in her mind's eye, flesh ashen and eyes glowing that sickly yellow of undeath. "I once thought like you. And I pray to whatever gods are listening that you never have to learn the lesson I did."

She didn't wait for Elsa's answer. It was the Lord Admiral that walked away, shoulders straight despite the pain that lanced through her at holding the posture.

But Jaina had meant it. The part of her that remembered what it was like to have such dreams, before she'd been beaten down, again, and again, and again.

**❄️**

Elsa found herself trying to avoid Jaina, the bitterness that washed over the woman too much to bear. She still researched, when she could, delving not just into magic but also her first love, math. Perhaps there was a solution there, in theories and equations. Elsa had always loved math and science. They'd been the balance for her, something that grounded her when she'd felt the most alone. It influenced her powers, too. Architecture and geometry and physics all played into the things she made, nearly as much as artistry.

Her palace on the north mountain was probably one of the most structurally sound buildings in Europe as a result.

But she didn't really know enough about how Jaina's magic worked, or even if physics were the same in that world of blood and fire. And if Elsa were honest with herself, she'd admit that she was curious about Jaina too, perhaps even more so than her magic.

She found both in the gardens and stopped short to stare. Jaina wore a light under-shirt, despite the winter chill, a jacket discarded on a bench. Energy crackled between her hands, shining a brilliant blue-purple. Runes floated in the air, in a language that Elsa didn't know but found beautiful and entrancing. To live in a world where magic was encouraged and taught…

The magic stuttered and then wobbled out of existence. Jaina sagged, cursing, the runes and energy fading until the only light was from the noon-day sun. She turned, spotting Elsa and winced. "Sorry."

Elsa just waved her hand, transfixed by the anchor shaped pendant that dangled above Jaina's abundant breasts. It was inappropriate and Elsa tore her eyes away, snapping them up to Jaina's face to be greeted by bemusement. Mouth dry, Elsa managed. "Just don't say that word around Olaf. Are you all right?"

Jaina looked down at her hands, then curled her fingers. "Magical potential is finite. You can exhaust yourself, like a pool being drained. It regenerates naturally with rest, though there are ways to increase it. Whatever redirected my portal has slowed that regeneration."

"You're still recovering your health," Elsa pointed out, stepping closer and realizing how tall Jaina was for the first time. If she hadn't been in heels, Elsa's eyes would be roughly level with Jaina's neck. Even in heels, she still had to look up. "My magic is affected by my health, but I've never felt like I lost power. It feels like a vast, endless sea."

"There might still be a limit, you've just never reached it." Jaina looked down at her. "How much have you let go, before?"

A wry smile crossed Elsa's lips. "The one and only time I truly let go, I froze the entire country, the fjords and several miles of sea."

"That much energy … But you've never tried to push yourself on purpose?" Jaina's eyes darted across Elsa's face.

"I'm too afraid to try." Elsa admitted. "So I've honed my finesse instead. Details, control."

"So, a scalpel instead of an axe."

Elsa's smile faded, and she looked away. "I suppose."

Jaina reached out for her and then caught herself when Elsa stiffened. She'd never been comfortable with physical contact; Anna, Kristoff, Iduna and Olaf being the only exceptions, and that had been earned. But she wasn't upset at Jaina; if anything, she welcomed the contact, perhaps more than she thought possible. "You're a touchy person, aren't you."

"A little," she admitted, hands dropping to her sides and fingers twitching slightly. "I don't have too many friends left to hug, really."

Elsa nodded, then tucked some hair behind her ear. "Can you show me some of your magic?"

It was not an order from a Queen, but a request from a woman who'd thought she was alone in her power and that she would always be so. Even her people didn't always look at her as warmly as they did Anna, and Elsa had thus far rejected every suitor without trying to meet them.

None had met her most important requirement, let alone anything else she might desire in a consort.

"What would you like to see?" Jaina asked, seeming to relax for only the second time since Elsa had met her. She'd been relaxed in the library, too, until their conversation had taken that darker turn, and Elsa filed that information away.

"You can control elements?" Elsa guessed. "And more, I think."

"My affinity is strongest with frost magic," Jaina answered. "Ice, water. But I can summon fire too, and the arcane."

"What's the…" Elsa trailed off as Jaina moved her hand, the jacket on the bench rising and spinning around like there was a person inside it dancing.

"Arcane?"

Elsa could only nod.

Light sparked around the jacket, energy arcing from button to button and racing around the fabric. "Arcane magic is the force of time and space, tied directly to that reservoir of power we have. It's almost like another element, and in the grand scheme of things it represents order. Yet it's the most versatile."

"What can you do with it?"

"Enchant objects, for one." Jaina smiled, the jacket spinning around with a wave of her hands. "Protective shields, though that can be done with frost or fire, too. With arcane I can conjure food, or water. Teleport. Change the base structure of a person or object, see at a great distance, or craft illusions."

And with that, Jaina disappeared. Elsa straightened. "Jaina?"

Jaina's voice echoed around her. "And there are other magics too. Light and fel, death, shadow and nature."

She shimmered into view in front of Elsa, close, almost too close though Elsa refused to back away. "And can you harness those?"

"The Light, no. The only death I wield is the normal kind. I'm not attuned to nature like a druid."

Noting that Jaina omitted two, Elsa just lifted her chin and raised an eyebrow.

Jaina's cheeks darkened almost imperceptibly. "Fel and shadow would be the easiest for me to reach for, I'll admit. They're both insanely powerful, but also dangerous. The sort of power that tempts and then corrupts. But I am no warlock and to control fel means tying oneself to demons who only wish to destroy all life and the only thing that the void offers is madness."

"Not a line you would easily cross, then," Elsa replied.

Shadows appeared in Jaina's eyes. "I would find just about any other solution first before resorting to that."

She stepped away, and Elsa felt her absence like a warm blanket being pulled aside. She took a breath. "I think we can help each other."

"How so, Your Majesty?" Jaina tilted her head, her face weary as her jacket slid over her shoulders and settled into place.

For all of Elsa's life, she'd been alone. Even when Anna was around, or Kristoff, or her people, she'd been alone. There was no one else like her that she knew of. She'd searched and searched and yet could find no one who could summon winter with the snap of a finger, no one with that kind of power in their veins, or _any_ power, except what she'd heard about her cousin in Corona and that … wasn't quite the same thing.

No one, until Jaina had collapsed in the snow in front of her. "I was born with this power. I don't know why, or how or where it came from. But you're the first person I've ever met who might be able to help me understand it. And maybe, if you help me, we can figure out a way to get you home."

And maybe they'd both fail, but it couldn't hurt to try, Elsa thought.

"I don't have a very good track record with apprentices." Jaina's voice cracked, expression tight and a pain flaring in her eyes that reminded Elsa of the day she'd found out her parents weren't coming home.

"Partners," Elsa supplied, and then she offered Jaina her hand. "Complete with a nice salary."

Jaina stared at it, then looked into Elsa's eyes before she took the hand. Her skin was so warm that Elsa's breath caught. And then Jaina squeezed Elsa's hand gently, her thumb rubbing lightly at the Queen's knuckles. "Partners."

Oh. Jaina _definitely_ met that most important prerequisite…

**❄️**

"I'm pretty sure that you've at least got magic dimples," Jaina said, grinning at Iduna as she watched her paint. It was messy, and there was more paint on Iduna than the canvas, but Jaina wasn't the one that was going to have to clean up so she didn't really mind.

The girl looked over at Jaina, grinning broadly. While no one had _asked_ Jaina to check, Jaina had taken it upon herself to see if Iduna had any of the magic that seemed to run in her family. Elsa's was obvious, Anna's was a lot more subtle (Jaina was pretty sure Anna could deadlift Kristoff's sled) and Iduna…

Well, if Iduna had any magic it wasn't of a type Jaina could sense immediately. It would require more time with the girl and study, both things that Jaina was willing to put in.

She sat down next to Iduna, giving her painting a critical eye. "I like your use of color and you've got an eye for chaos. Don't tell anyone, but you're your mother's child."

Iduna giggled, reaching up and smearing blue paint across Jaina's cheek. Jaina sighed dramatically, then dipped a finger in some green paint and flicked it across Iduna's nose. The girl went cross-eyed trying to look at the smear and Jaina felt something loosen inside her chest.

Jaina had always had a plan for her life. It started with becoming an Archmage, with honing her power and her knowledge so she could help people. A family would come later but a family would _come_. But like most things in her life, everything had gone awry. And now, at thirty-seven, her life had become consumed by war and vengeance and anger and she couldn't dare try to raise a family in those circumstances.

But Iduna reminded her of those old wants and needs, and Jaina had to content herself with enjoying the time she had with the girl.

Even if the situation quickly turned into a paint fight that Jaina won when she started tickling Iduna. Her laughter and shrieks rang out through the room and Jaina didn't realize until after that she'd been laughing too.


	3. Lessons

Over the next several weeks, Jaina came to be glad for that distinction between 'apprentice' and 'partner' because otherwise the thoughts that sometimes crept unbidden into her mind would be vastly more inappropriate.

Elsa was _blindingly_ intelligent, quickly mastering the basics of magical theory and devouring the notes Jaina wrote for her so quickly that she wished she could just take the Queen to Dalaran and unleash her on the library there.

Jaina knew it didn't seem like it, but even if the sources of their magics differed, the basics were important. Not only as a building block to more advanced theorycraft, but also to allow Jaina to determine differences and similarities in Elsa's magic and how best to help her discover the full extent of that power.

Getting used to the castle and town turned out to be easier than pretending Elsa wasn't beautiful, intelligent, and far too kind.

At least Jaina always had a good sense of direction.

Arendelle was a fairly small kingdom, though it had good trade relations with neighbors and allies. It possessed a small navy and no standing army to speak of. The people were overall pleasant, though Jaina could never shake a foreboding feeling every time she walked through town.

She sat down on a bench in the main square, watching vendors hawk their wares and citizens go about their peaceful day. Jaina's palms started to sweat, and she dug her nails into her knees as her mind imposed a vision of burning buildings, rampaging Orcs and pools of oozing green Blight across the idyllic scene. The cries of dead and dying were easily supplied by her memories.

Gods, these people wouldn't stand a _chance_ against a Horde strike force. Even a single champion could cause untold havoc. Their only hope would be their Queen and as Jaina looked towards the castle she couldn't say what Elsa would do if Arendelle were attacked.

"Fuck," Jaina breathed, leaning back against the wall. She was just _paranoid_; if she couldn't get back to Azeroth, the Horde could not come here, nor could any other forces. The realization hit hard. Would she sacrifice a path home if it meant keeping these people safe? "Just fucking great."

"Fuck?" Olaf's voice drew her attention to her left knee, and she sat up straighter. "What's that mean?"

She held up her hand. "It's an exclamation, like emphasis. A really strongly phrased emphasis."

"Fuck," Olaf repeated, looking pleased with himself. He turned to the small water elemental that now followed him everywhere. "Isn't that right, Bubbles? I'm so fucking happy!"

"…Elsa is going to kill me," Jaina said, eyes wide. "It's not a word for snowmen to say, Olaf. Just pretend you never heard it, okay?"

"I like playing pretend," Olaf agreed. He called back as he wandered off, Bubbles in tow. "Don't worry! I won't fucking tell anyone!"

Jaina groaned and pressed her face into her hands.

"You're right," a man's voice said. "Elsa is going to _murder_ you."

She lifted her head. "Hello Kristoff."

Jaina had only met Anna's husband a few times. The most embarrassing of which had been the very first time, when she'd been talking to his pet reindeer because she'd thought she was addressing a Druid.

To her defense, Sven was a little uncoordinated and had reminded her of a Kaldorei champion she'd known who often forgot if she was supposed to be a deer, humanoid, or bird regardless of which shape she'd taken at the time.

He sat next to her on the bench, grinning at her, then reached into a paper bag and pulled out a pastry. "Want one? Oaken said his husband is planning on opening a bakery and gave me a bunch of free samples."

She took the confection, looking it over and then shrugging before taking a bite. It was sweet, with an undercurrent of tartness, and Jaina's eyes fluttered closed. "Oh … he's going to have a regular in me."

Something occurred to her, and she snapped her eyes open and looked around. "Aren't you usually watching Iduna this time of day?"

Kristoff waved his hand. "Sven is with her."

"You're letting your reindeer watch your daughter."

"What? We grew up together, I trust him! Besides, she needed some time with the trolls."

Jaina twitched. She'd had to get Anna to clarify what a troll was here, and they were a far cry from the ones she knew. "So Sven took her to see her grandparents?"

"Yeah!" Kristoff smiled fondly. He glanced up at the clocktower, and straightened. "I should actually get moving so I can pick her up."

Kristoff held out the bag. "There's some chocolate treats for the Queen. Give her those and she'll practically be eating out of your hands."

"What?" Jaina looked in the bag, but when she looked up again, Kristoff was gone. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she huffed. She wasn't a delivery service, nor did she exist to provide food to people.

Though, Jaina reasoned, she _did_ want to take Elsa out for some practical magic. Now was as good a time as any and Jaina had been dying to see Elsa really let go. And maybe show off a little herself.

As she got to her feet, Jaina let the horrors of war fade from her mind. While the memories and nightmares still plagued her even at the best of times, those moments had become few and far between. Working with Elsa, seeing this kingdom and its people, it had given Jaina a sense of perspective she'd forgotten.

Jaina's fingers clutched at the bag as she walked. Most of her friends were dead, and the rest of her relationships were strained at best. It occurred to her that she was enjoying the company of Elsa and Anna. There were no obligations, no expectations, though Jaina wondered what Elsa would really think of her if she told her how much of a monster she could be.

The gates to the castle were wide open, as always, and as always Jaina inspected them as she passed through. They would need reinforcement to be truly effective, but would do in a pinch. She scolded herself, but she couldn't stop the direction her thoughts went. Not in a few weeks of peace. Maybe not even in a few _years_.

Jaina managed to clear her mind by the time she found Elsa in her study. She knocked and peered in. "Got a few hours, your majesty? I think we should put some of this theory into practice."

Elsa rose to her feet, excitement in her eyes. "I think I know a nice out of the way place, too. Just let me change."

Coming out from around the desk, Elsa twirled her hand, frost and ice rising in spirals around her body, her dress shifting into something a little thicker, but no less hip-hugging.

Oh, there was _some_ arcane in Elsa's magic. Jaina swallowed, latching onto that thought rather than the _other_ thoughts that stubbornly broke to the surface of her mind. Her latent bisexuality was simply something that she hadn't had the time to deal with or think about since her days as a student.

She shut the thoughts down as Elsa slipped past her, holding the bag close. "Where is it we're going?"

"Just follow me," Elsa said, smirking at her over her shoulder.

So Jaina followed her, gripping her staff as they walked out of the castle, back through the gates, then looping around and upwards into the mountains.

Out of a need to fill the silence, Jaina started to talk. "My father was the Lord Admiral of Kul Tiras, a title that would have been passed on to me. Except my power was so strong and my curiosity so insatiable, I was sent to the city of Dalaran to learn magic, and apprenticed to the leader of the Kirin Tor, a mage guild. _The_ mage guild. So I studied and learned and honed the raw power inside me."

"That sounds … freeing." Elsa slowed a little, until they walked side by side.

"It was, and it wasn't. There are a lot of rules to follow, mostly for safety. But some of them were archaic and stupid. I think the same can be said of just about anywhere." Jaina shrugged her shoulder, glancing aside at Elsa. "I was barely eighteen when the conflict we called the Third War happened and everything changed for me."

"So what war are you on now?" Elsa asked softly, seemingly disinclined or too polite to pry.

Jaina didn't know how to answer that. Did the war against the Silithid count? Against Illidan in Outland? The Scourge? Deathwing? And then there'd been Pandaria, Draenor, the Legion invasion, the War of the Thorns and finally the latest conflict. She frowned. "The answer to that depends on if you're talking war in general or against the Horde specifically."

"In general."

"Twelve, then. There's been some kind of war going on constantly for as long as I've been alive and we've been honing the craft of war for centuries." It sounded so depressing, said out loud. Jaina's shoulders sagged and she came to a stop.

Elsa approached her, lifting her left hand and brushing her fingers across Jaina's cheek. The bag under her left eye. The tired, stressed lines. And then down along her jaw, to her chin, before dropping her hand. "Can you remember what peace is?"

Jaina's throat bobbed as she fought the urge to take Elsa's hand. The touch had been surprising. Uncharacteristic. But the question shook her more. "There's … until the Horde is stopped, there will be no peace."

"So that's no, then." Something like pity flared in Elsa's eyes as she turned away to continue their trek.

Irritation flooded through Jaina, and she stomped after Elsa, boots crunching loudly in the snow. That was her fault. She hadn't given Elsa the full story, hadn't told her just why peace was impossible. And yet, Jaina still hesitated to tell her. Tell her their crimes. _Her_ crimes. And she didn't know who she was protecting more. Elsa or herself.

But all of that fell away when they came around an outcropping of snow-dusted rock and a sparkling palace of ice rose into the sky before her. Jaina stared up at it, the lines on her face fading into wonder and awe.

There was a wide open space leading to the bridge, and there Elsa stood, hands on her fabulous hips as she watched the change on Jaina's face.

Jaina looked at her, voice faint. "You made this?"

"Yes," Elsa said, rightly proud of her work. "Would you like a tour?"

"I'd rather not accidentally damage it." Her eyes drifted back to the palace, mind racing as she put the pieces together. Elsa had to have had a complex grasp of a dozen different kinds of sciences and the mind of an artist. "It's so beautiful and I have a _thousand_ questions."

"Later then." Elsa cocked her hip, quirking her eyebrow in a way that made Jaina wonder if she really understood the effect that could have on a person.

Here in the shadow of that frozen palace, Jaina could very easily allow herself to do something that might be a mistake. Gods but she was so _lonely_.

Elsa continued. "We're here for a reason, remember?"

"Yes. Of course." The shadows returned to Jaina's eyes as she shrugged off her coat and folded it onto a rock, putting the bag of chocolates on top of it. "Obviously, you have a great deal of power and can exercise fine control over that. But what you're lacking is both an understanding of where that power comes from and the confidence to fully tap into it."

"It's all energy then..." Elsa said, flexing her fingers and calling up flurries of snow and a small herd of ice horses frozen in a charge. "I haven't tried to recreate what I did with the palace, though I've made a lot of structures on smaller scales."

"It looks like you're controlling ice," Jaina said, watching her. "But what if you're actually manipulating temperature, and water. That combined is snow and ice. What's the coldest you've gone?"

"Not counting when I lost control, I've never let myself go below ten degrees below zero."

Jaina snapped her wrist out, a steel dagger embedding in the snow between them. "Unmixed steel becomes brittle at approximately 20 below. This is mixed steel, which means the brittle point is even lower."

Elsa stared at it, quickly guessing what Jaina wanted her to do. Not just lower temperatures, but to do so localized. Power and precision, both. Elsa held her hand out and Jaina could sense the power building as ice coated the blade.

And the magic, she could almost taste it, a tingling sensation on the tip of her tongue and a buzzing in her blood as her own power rose up in response. It was _invigorating_.

The snow around the knife hardened, growing thicker. And then the metal shuddered, a crack running along the center of the blade. It happened so fast, the power inside Elsa barely stirring as the cold grew colder and the crack in the metal spread.

And then the dagger fell apart.

Jaina waited as Elsa lowered her hand and then waited a few moments longer before approaching the remains of the weapon. She knelt, but the metal was too cold to touch still, the proximity making her fingers chilled. "How did that feel?"

"I've never directed it like that before." Elsa didn't appear to be out of breath or drained, but she sounded … excited. Gods, but Jaina wished she could recapture that feeling. "What next?"

Jaina lifted her eyes, dragging them up Elsa's body, to her lips, then her eyes. "Are you tired at all? Did that take _any_ effort?"

"Controlling it took more effort than using the power," Elsa admitted.

Stabbing a kitchen knife into the snow, Jaina stood and backed away. "Again. Stop holding back."

"Are you going to reward me with those chocolates I know you have in that bag?" Elsa pointed her chin at the bag on Jaina's cloak.

Jaina imagined feeding a chocolate to Elsa and then tasting that chocolate on her lips and shook herself out of it. _Keep it together, Lord Admiral._

Elsa deserved better than someone like Jaina, anyway. "I'm not above using bribery, Majesty."

Grinning, Elsa stretched and flexed her long, elegant fingers and pointed them at the kitchen knife. The temperature dropped so quickly that the air Jaina inhaled made her lungs burn.

The knife had shattered almost instantly. Elsa could wipe out an army in the space of a heartbeat. Jaina stared at her, her voice raspy as she said. "Very good. Now bring it back up. Use that control of yours."

And Elsa did, until the area around the knife shards had returned to the normal ambient temperature of the mountain. She smiled at Jaina, so bright and happy that Jaina's heart fractured. "Now do I get my chocolate?"

Jaina shook her head, laughing. "Fine, but I want to try one more thing before we take a break and you show me your castle while we eat candies."

"Anything you want."

"Anything?" Jaina asked, tilting her head and giving Elsa a fair approximation of the Queen's eyebrow quirk. She tried not to read too much into the color on Elsa's cheeks.

"Anything."

"Dangerous words," Jaina murmured, staring at a particularly interesting rock as she contemplated the next test. "Anyway, we should see how big a pool of magic you have."

Elsa walked over to her, clasping her hands behind her back as she looked up at Jaina. "Push me to exhaustion?"

Jaina's throat bobbed as she gazed back, and nodded. "Knowing your limits is probably the most important aspect of controlling your magic. Where's the break point, how far down can you go if you have to?"

"But I _don't_ have to," Elsa pointed out.

"No, but…" Jaina touched Elsa's cheek with the tips of two fingers, and when Elsa didn't pull away she cupped her face. "You can't predict the future. Not even time magic can. If you don't know your limits, it's a lot easier to lose control and hurt yourself, or others."

"And if I lose control today?"

"Listen for my voice," Jaina said. "I know I'm not Anna, but I'll try to call you back."

Elsa looked unsure, hesitation writ on her face as she looked down at her left hand. Jaina frowned, taking that hand. "Maybe we should wait, it could be dangerous if you're this hesitant."

"I'm sorry." Elsa clenched her hand into a fist. "I don't … I don't think I trust myself enough to try something like that. If I do it wrong, if I lose myself in the storm, it will be exactly how it was five years ago."

She lifted her head, leaning her cheek into Jaina's hand as she closed her eyes. "It goes deep. Oceans deep. I've barely scratched the surface of it. If I dig, and keep digging … I can control it now. But if I go that deep? What will I find?"

"It's not wrong to be scared. Of power, of consequence." Jaina kept her voice low, quiet, expecting Elsa to spook from the proximity. Slowly, she let go of her hand and slid her arm around the Queen.

There had been days (there still _were_ days) when Jaina would have traded the world for someone to hold her, to offer her comfort and understanding and to listen. She could give that to Elsa. Keep this moment of weakness secret and safe. Because it wasn't really weakness. It was just being human.

"I'll have to face it, I know I will." Elsa leaned against Jaina, their bodies fitting together like two lost pieces from different puzzles that somehow matched.

Jaina felt that same sort of awe as that time a particularly skittish cat had chosen to climb into her lap. And she ached, she ached for this kind of contact, extracting the same comfort as she was trying to give.

She pulled away before Elsa could notice the tears.


	4. Icecrown

Elsa hadn't been ready. And, in a way, it had been a relief to admit that and an even huger relief that Jaina had so immediately realized it and not pushed her. As though she'd known exactly what Elsa had needed then. Understanding. Compassion. Comfort. A warm embrace that left her buzzing and disappointed when Jaina had pulled away.

And she understood, for the first time, how Anna and Kristoff clicked so well. That it was both easy and constant work, just like her relationship with her sister was both easy, and constant work.

Pushing those thoughts away, because they were dangerous ones since Jaina would leave eventually, Elsa snatched the bag of treats before Jaina could grab it and led her into the palace, past the giant snowman who acted as the guard. "That's Marshmallow. I … created him while I was consumed with anxiety and fear, and he's the defender of my palace. He's really kind of a sweetheart."

Jaina nodded, understanding in her eyes.

"Somewhere around here are a bunch of little snowmen," Elsa added, hoping Jaina wouldn't ask. Luckily for her, Jaina was far too distracted by the palace to hear.

And Elsa drank in the awe and wonder, the way the years drained from Jaina's face as she took in the foyer and the twin staircase, refracting light like rainbows in her hair. Jaina turned her gaze onto Elsa, and Elsa froze, a chocolate halfway to her mouth.

"It's amazing. You made this completely out of ice?" And there, a shadow passed behind Jaina's eyes.

Elsa took a bite and then walked over, unable to ignore the way Jaina's eyes moved with the sway of her hips. She offered Jaina one of the chocolates. "Yes. I've made a few additions over the years. Tried to make it more like a home, for getaways, but the main structure is the same."

Jaina looked around, the shadows growing longer and the lines returning to her face.

"Jaina?"

She looked at Elsa, blinking her eyes as if she were remembering where she actually was. "I'm sorry. I was … remembering something."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Elsa took Jaina's hand and started to guide her up the stairs. Jaina hesitated just a moment before taking that first step.

It was never as slippery as it looked; Elsa had made sure of that for the sake of any visitors who might need shelter from a storm and she could see Jaina trying to puzzle out how she did it and how it worked. Jaina seemed to put it aside to ponder later, and said. "There was a man. A friend I grew up with. Who became something more than a friend."

The second level of the palace had been redesigned into multiple chambers, something more resembling a home. While most furniture was made from ice, particularly tables, chairs and mirrors, Elsa had brought up a couch for one room, and a bed for the bedroom.

She led Jaina into the former. "It's warmer in here. It will never melt, but it will still be comfortable."

Simply nodding, Jaina wandered around the room, before moving to the couch and running her hands over the blue-white fabric. She smiled, fainty. "You really like white and blue, don't you."

"What can I say?" Elsa shrugged, sitting elegantly on the couch and twisting to look up at Jaina. "But I like shades of green too, I'll have you know."

"You'd look beautiful in red," Jaina observed, coming around and sitting next to Elsa. This time she took a chocolate, even as she left a good foot of space between them.

"Perhaps I'll try that sometime."

Jaina turned the chocolate around in her hand. "Arthas was Prince of a kingdom called Lordaeron. A good, righteous man, the kind you read about in stories."

Elsa sensed a 'but' there, remaining silent and giving Jaina her attention. There was a point to this story, and she was desperate to learn more about the mage and the world she came from.

"Years ago, when I was barely of age, there came a plague. Not a normal plague, but one that twisted and perverted the body and made the dead walk again. It was spread by infected grain, and when we got to the city of Stratholme, the grain had already been distributed."

It was something out of a horror story told around Walpurgis Night. Elsa wrapped an arm around her stomach. "So all those people…?"

Jaina's eyes were closed. "We argued. He wanted to purge the city. Myself and his mentor, Uther, did not want to murder people who might not be infected. He would not listen, so we left. And Arthas killed every last man, woman and child in that city."

The sheer weight of the guilt on Jaina's shoulders was oppressive. Elsa shifted closer, and took her hand, but she didn't know what to say or think or feel. That was _horrible_.

"It was a turning point. After that he…" Jaina shook her head, barely seeming to notice Elsa's hand on hers. "Driven by a need for revenge, he searched for the source of the plague and was lead to a sword called Frostmourne, a _cursed_ thing that drank souls. It took _his_. By the time he returned to Lordaeron there was nothing left of the man he'd been. He'd become the Lich King, with the hordes of undead at his command."

"He did something even more terrible, didn't he." God. What could Elsa say to that? She wondered at how she could have considered herself a monster, when this Arthas was clearly one.

"Stratholme pales in comparison to his later crimes." Jaina wiped at her eyes, then slowly ate the chocolate and fell silent.

"Tell me the rest later," Elsa suggested, as unwilling to push Jaina as Jaina was to push her. Not right now, anyway.

Jaina nodded, eyes now focused on their joined hands. She traced her thumb over Elsa's knuckles, and Elsa shivered, locking her own eyes on their hands.

"It's … a lot," Jaina admitted. "But his fortress was-"

She looked up, around them, and Elsa swallowed. "Made of ice?"

"Icecrown," Jaina said. Elsa felt her heart drop into her stomach, but Jaina didn't let her pull away. "But it's not the same."

"You were reminded," Elsa said, not meeting Jaina's eyes.

"It doesn't take much. But that's on me, not you." Slowly, Jaina lifted Elsa's hand, and brushed her lips over her skin. "What you've made is beautiful. Pure and without malice. You and Arthas are opposites, even before he fell."

Elsa could read the guilt in Jaina's eyes, the self-loathing and regret that made her nothing like that man who'd murdered so many without even the excuse of cursed swords or lack of control. "I used to think I was a monster, Jaina. And when I lost control, I thought that had been proven right."

"When you lost control," Jaina pointed out. "You created this place. You made Olaf. When Arthas lost control, he killed his own father, committed genocide and nearly brought the world to ruin."

"Genocide?" Elsa asked, unfamiliar with the word though she could feel its weight like an anchor on her soul.

"The annihilation of an entire population," Jaina explained. A darkness flashed across her face. "He nearly wiped out the High Elves."

If it was this hard to hear, it must have been worse to say. Elsa took a breath, then another, trying to calm her anxiety before she brought a storm down on them. "Such power is … I could … With a snap of my finger I could kill everyone in Europe."

"That's the difference." Jaina kissed Elsa's hand again, shoulders heavy. "Arthas would not hesitate. And you would not do it."

"You've known me how long?" Elsa asked, extracting her hand and standing on shaking legs. She walked over to the mantle over the fireplace. An ice fireplace. It was ridiculous and stupid and what had she even been thinking…

She felt Jaina's presence behind her, hands hovering over her hips a moment before resting there and then sliding up. Jaina's lips brushed the shell of her ear, breath hot and voice soft. "You're not a weapon or a monster, Elsa. _I_ am, and I've seen my share of both."

Either she or Jaina were trembling. Elsa couldn't tell. But she leaned back against her as Jaina's arms looped around her waist, placing her hands over Jaina's. "What makes _you_ a monster?"

Jaina tensed, her reflection in the ice showing thin lips and a resigned look. "In war, once the blood stops flowing and the haze has lifted, you can see what you're becoming. A warrior. A killer. The only difference between the two is that one is sanctioned and the other not."

The mage remained tense, her fingers twitching on Elsa's stomach and Elsa felt like Jaina was holding onto her as if she'd lose herself if she let go. Setting aside her own opinions of war or conflict, Elsa turned in Jaina's arms and stared up at her. "What happened to you, to turn you away from peace?"

Elsa's hands were almost warm on her sides, though Jaina could barely feel them as she closed her eyes and told the Queen about the catalyst that had turned her from peace. She spoke of her city, Theramore. Of the manabomb that had torn it asunder and killed her people and her friends. Of how she'd gone mad with power and grief and how close she'd come to drowning the Horde capital under the sea and how, even now, she had never fully shaken that anger.

"No one listened to me about what the Horde is capable of, that they couldn't be trusted. Theramore should have proven to _everyone_ that the Warchief was a bloodthirsty monster. It took a civil war for them to see, and then … then they put another monster in charge." Jaina was shaking. "And the Night Elves suffered for it. We all did, but they paid the highest price. The Horde burned their capital. Thousands died. I was fighting the war for resources in the ashes of that crime when I was brought here…"

Elsa didn't know the difference between High and Night Elves, and it didn't really matter. She just listened to Jaina, letting her speak and knowing she was only getting half the story. When Jaina fell silent, Elsa said, "I'm sensing a 'but,' here."

Jaina looked into Elsa's eyes, a slight smile on her face. "You're learning to read me."

"Reading people is part of my job description."

"I suppose it is." Jaina took a step back, and Elsa reluctantly let her. "I was always so angry. Rage and hate consumed me. But I can barely remember what that felt like. It's like the veil between our worlds has cut me off from those emotions. They're still there, simply…"

Jaina waved her hand. "To a more normal degree. I can't hate the Horde as a whole, just their leader. I'm not that angry anymore, just … tired."

"You mentioned something once. A message you had to get to Stormwind."

Throat bobbing, Jaina nodded. "There are forces in my world that thrive on disarray and chaos. Capable of manipulating even the most pure or strong willed person. I discovered evidence that the Alliance was compromised by it. And if the Alliance is compromised, so is the Horde. And if one falls, they both fall."

It was so clear to Elsa that she wondered why Jaina couldn't see it. But maybe her outside viewpoint allowed her to put the pieces together. "Something that thrives on chaos and manipulates people. A war that has destroyed countless lives. Jaina, did your anger waver upon arriving in Arendelle? Or did it before that, when you made this discovery?"

Jaina blinked, looking to the side as figurative gears turned inside her head. Her jaw tensed, hands clenching and unclenching and Elsa could imagine Jaina flipping through her memories like a scrapbook. She staggered, pressing a hand to her face and turning away, a choked sob loud in the quiet room.

"I don't mean to say that your feelings aren't real. But it is so easy for someone or something to prey on them." Elsa reached for her, pulling her back, pulling her head down onto her shoulder and wrapping her arm around Jaina's back. She wondered how long it had been since Jaina had cried. And how long it had been since she'd allowed someone else to see it.


	5. Warmth

When had Jaina received so many scars? She stared at herself in the mirror. At the still healing wound in her side, at the burn scar near her navel and the smattering of thinner scars from any number of battles. Some were new, most were old enough that she felt her age.

She ran her fingers over them, across her pale skin, tracing scars and stretch marks. Jaina lifted her hands to her breasts, over the freckles that dusted her skin from her neck to her nipples, then ran her hands down to her hips and over the bulge of her stomach and frowned at herself.

Kalecgos had been attracted to this? Jaina splayed her fingers over her stomach, feeling tired and disgusted with herself, wondering if that was why making love to him had been so uninspiring. Or had she just given up on herself? She hadn't worn make-up since the war started; she was still fit but, she'd paid a lot closer attention to her body and the way she'd looked when she was younger.

Standing next to Elsa, who was stunning and beautiful, made her feel frumpy. Like an albatross. Like she didn't deserve…

With Elsa on her mind, Jaina closed her eyes. Elsa made her feel vulnerable in a way that was vaguely uncomfortable to think about.

And other things too, as Jaina could imagine Elsa slipping up behind her, hands sliding up her back and then around to cup and squeeze her - Jaina snapped her eyes open, shaking her head to rid herself of that fantasy.

And she nearly screamed when she saw Elsa standing in front of her, before she realized she'd conjured a mirror image of the queen. Jaina stared at the image, before inhaling deeply and waving her hand to make it shatter into glittering dust.

That wasn't the first time she'd conjured the face of a friend. A silent soundboard to talk to; or to apologize to for failing.

But talking had been the last thing on her mind just then and Jaina felt both guilty and a little sick over it. While she'd used her magic for pleasure before, using another person like that was something she could never do. Blasting herself with a chilly spell, she turned away from the mirror, and the broken person reflected therein.

The cold blast hadn't really helped, but Jaina curled up in bed anyway, pulling the covers tightly around herself. But she couldn't sleep, her mind wandering to what might be happening back on Azeroth, and her fears for her planet and people.

Jaina rolled onto her stomach, her shoulder aching from the arrow that had been removed weeks ago, her body protesting in ways new and old. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Sylvanas, the Banshee Queen, her eyes glowing like distant points of red light. And if she didn't see Sylvanas, she heard the sounds of battle. Screams of the dying, splintering wood, mortars exploding, the sizzle and crackling of magical fire.

And when she finally fell asleep, she felt ancient eyes watching her, a voice whispering in a language long dead, tugging at something inside her like tendrils reaching through the gap between worlds, trying to find her, to reach her, to slither down her throat and into her heart and squeeze.

Choking, Jaina clawed at her throat, at her chest. Ice froze her veins and Jaina screamed soundlessly, rising, rising for the light and someone calling her name.

The scream rang in her ears as she bolted upright, grasping onto the nearest available thing. Her sheets and blanket had been kicked to the floor and Jaina found herself clinging to Elsa, staring into worried blue eyes.

Jaina felt dizzy, breath coming in ragged gasps, head pounding. Elsa pressed a hand to her chest, over her heart, saying something in a comforting tone that Jaina couldn't quite make out. She put her hand over Elsa's, but didn't move any further.

Once she could breathe again, focus on something other than the fear that clenched around her heart, Jaina lifted her face. "I'm sorry."

"For having a nightmare?"

"For waking you up." She was so used to nightmares of one sort or another that it was easy enough to shrug this one off. What Elsa had suggested today had stuck with her. Was _still_ stuck with her.

"I was already awake," Elsa assured her. "You're not the only one who has bad dreams sometimes."

Needing to focus on something other than herself, Jaina prompted, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Elsa raised her eyebrow, focus so intense on Jaina's face that Jaina was suddenly keenly aware of her nudity. It was cute, Elsa trying to be polite, and Jaina could actually see the strain on her face. As though Elsa was trying very hard to not look.

Jaina's nightmare faded and she latched onto that instead; the slight pink on Elsa's ear tips, how surprisingly warm her hand was on her chest. "I'm okay, really." Feeling decidedly less frumpy than earlier, she pressed Elsa's hand against her chest. "Especially now."

"My nightmares are usually some variation of my hurting someone I love," Elsa said, after another moment's hesitation. "Or a bad memory. I repressed them for a long time and it … caused problems."

"What woke you tonight? Besides me."

"No, it _was_ you."

Elsa looked so worried that Jaina couldn't stop herself from lifting her free hand to Elsa's loose hair and running her fingers through it reassuringly. "I'm flattered you dream about me."

"That's not-" Elsa swatted Jaina's shoulder. "You were … drowning. It was like the sea rose up and swallowed us all. I got Anna and Iduna onto an iceberg, but you were out of reach."

Jaina hummed softly, a few bars of that song she knew so well, dropping her hand from Elsa's. "Some people call me the Daughter of the Sea. I would not be surprised if the ocean calls me home."

"I don't like the sound of that." Elsa's fingers twitched from one freckle to another on Jaina's chest. "Though I wouldn't mind listening to you sing."

It reminded Jaina again of her state of undress, and she could feel the heat across her face, neck and chest. Slowly, she pulled away from Elsa and stood. "It's a good thing, and a bad one. A very complicated story."

"I … would like to hear it sometime." Elsa's eyes followed her as she moved to where a robe was draped over the couch.

Jaina pulled the robe on, turning to look at Elsa now that she felt she had some kind of armor in place. She was aware of Elsa's seeming inability to look away from her.

It made her feel wanted.

Jaina's eyes dropped to Elsa's lips, and back to her eyes. She wanted-needed-comfort, something intimate to chase the shadows from Elsa's eyes and bury her own as well.

"You're beautiful," Elsa said, rising to her feet. She held her hand up before Jaina could object, crossing the distance between them. Was she a mind reader too? "Every inch of you."

"I don't feel like I am. Not anymore. I'm _old_, Elsa. My best days are behind me." She pulled the robe back open, to show Elsa all her imperfections.

"Mm. No." Elsa's fingers danced across her stomach, tracing her abs and her scars and her stretch marks. Jaina shivered, forgetting how to think, feeling her chest crack and shift and heave like thawing ice.

"No?" Jaina asked, voice breathy.

Elsa's hand trembled, and she stilled it over Jaina's ribs. Jaina held it in place, and tilted Elsa's chin up to meet her eyes. She repeated. "No?"

"You're human," Elsa said, nervousness in the depths of her eyes. "I want to show you how beautiful you are."

"I might bleed like a human," Jaina replied. "But-"

"Let me judge if you're a monster or not, Jaina."

The sudden steel in Elsa's voice sent a jolt to Jaina's core. She had her fingers tangled in Elsa's hair, her face inches from the Queen's before she realized what she was doing.

Elsa had leaned in too, their lips close enough for their breath to mingle. She didn't seem to know what to do with her hands, one still on Jaina's ribs just below her breast and the other low on Jaina's back.

Jaina could feel the restraint in Elsa even as her own was fraying. She ignored that voice in her head that reminded her of how bad her track record with lovers was as she started to close that small distance between their mouths.

Elsa tilted her head, meeting Jaina's lips with her own, at once eager and hesitant. Her body molded against Jaina's, her gown so thin as to practically not exist and the feel of the fabric covered skin under Jaina's hands was enough to shred her self-control.

Pulling Elsa harder against her, Jaina dug her fingers into Elsa's back, and her rear, then roamed her hands over her hips before digging her fingers into the fabric and pulling it up.

And Elsa, Elsa's hesitation melted away, her hands caressing Jaina's sides, her back, dipping low before coming around to inch up her stomach.

Jaina had just slid her fingers across the soft skin of Elsa's legs when a knock sounded at the door and Jaina broke away, staring at the door and fighting down the urge to ignite whoever had just interrupted them. She pushed Elsa's gown back down, cinched her robe closed, and sat on the bed. Elsa's face was flushed, her lips swollen from the pressure of the kiss and her hair in complete disarray.

It was the most attractive thing Jaina had ever seen in her life.

Belatedly, she cleared her throat and called out too sharply. "_What?_"

Anna's voice was muffled by the wood of the door. "Have you seen Elsa?"

Eyes darting to Elsa, Jaina called back. "No?"

Elsa nodded, and Jaina cleared her throat, repeating. "No, she hasn't been by. Is something wrong?"

"Nope! Just have something for her. I'll check elsewhere!"

Jaina craned her neck, listening for the sound of Anna's feet retreating, and let out a breath. Though why Anna had thought to look _here…_

"I'm sorry." Elsa sank onto the bed next to Jaina, worrying at the skin between thumb and forefinger.

Putting her hand over Elsa's, Jaina asked, "For what?"

"Asking you to lie. I'm just not ready to have that discussion with my sister." Elsa frowned. "Or anyone."

"Me specifically?" Jaina asked, "Or women in general."

Elsa gave her a little shrug of one shoulder and a rueful smile. "Both. It's not frowned upon, or anything like that. The best blacksmith in the kingdom is a woman married to the other best blacksmith in the kingdom, also a woman."

"If it makes you feel better, I spent the majority of my adult life steadfastly ignoring that part of me." Jaina reached up, trailing two fingers under Elsa's chin. "I tend to make … bad choices in my romantic relationships."

Jaina thought about it. Pained and Vereesa Windrunner in particular has always stirred something in her and there'd been a mage during her younger years. "And the few times there might have been an opportunity with another woman, there was never really time to explore it. Or it would have been poor timing."

She grimaced. "Poor taste to move in on the widow of a friend that is, and I wasn't exactly in a clear headspace at the time."

"I'm different enough," Elsa said, making snowflakes dance around them. "That when I realized it was the princesses in my books that interested me more than the knights, I didn't know what to do or who to talk to. The whole 'ice monster' thing kind of took precedence anyway. I was finally going to talk to my mother, but then she never returned. I didn't find out that there were others like me until after I opened up the gates. It was a relief, actually. But I still didn't have anyone to talk to."

Jaina was about seventy-five percent certain her mother and Lady Ashvane had been lovers before the latter had betrayed Kul Tiras. Her mother's harsh judgements had been for Jaina's actions, and nothing else. She moved her hand to Elsa's cheek. "I'm sorry. You can talk to me, if you want. Or what about those blacksmiths?"

"I'm sure they'd be delighted to have the Queen show up and ask them personal questions." Elsa rolled her eyes, a rueful tone in her voice.

Jaina chuckled at that. "What about meeting people now?"

"My duties have not exactly allowed for much in the way of _meeting people_." Elsa turned her head, kissing Jaina's palm.

"No suitors for the Queen?" Jaina had always had a bit of a line of her own, and she suspected there was an even longer line waiting for the war to end now that she was Lord Admiral.

"None that meet my standards." Elsa looked at her out of the corner of her eyes and Jaina felt heat pooling between her legs again.

"Your standards must be high indeed, Elsa." Jaina's newly regained self-control wavered, and she slid her hand down her neck, to her shoulder and then down her arm. She leaned in, brushing her lips along Elsa's jaw, then followed the path her hand took with little kisses, before diverting to her throat. She pushed Elsa's nightgown up again, splaying her fingers over her bared hip.

Elsa tilted her head, breath heavy, eyelids hooded, and groaned.

Jaina could feel trembling, and she was unsure which of them it was. She pulled back, rubbing her hand over her chest.

"What…" Elsa blinked the fog out of her eyes. Most of her chest, neck and face were flushed. "What's wrong?"

"Can we…" Jaina's voice was hoarse. "Can we talk about this first?"

Furrowing her brows, Elsa nodded, then gestured for Jaina to slide back up the bed.

Wordlessly, Jaina did so, making room for Elsa when she laid down next to her. Jaina wrapped her arms around her, trying to still the thundering of her heart and quell the fire that raged across her skin.

Elsa curled in against Jaina, and Jaina had never thought about how well two bodies could fit together before. It made her even more conflicted as they lay there.

"I know that, sooner or later, you will find a way home," Elsa said, pressing her face into Jaina's chest.

Jaina's heart ached again and she wondered at the way her stomach tied itself into knots. To go back to that war, to the blood and death and violence, meant that she could lose herself all over again. And what scared Jaina was how distant the part of herself that had grown accustomed to it felt. Not for the first time, she felt like she'd been given an outside window into her actions and life and felt ashamed.

But would going back allow her to make amends, or would it simply return her to the status quo?

"I don't want you to regret jumping into bed with someone who will leave you," Jaina admitted. "Or with someone who doesn't deserve your kindness."

Elsa's voice was muffled. "You think you're someone who doesn't deserve kindness?"

Jaina managed a small, bitter smile, stroking her hand down the back of Elsa's head. "I am one of the last people on Earth or Azeroth that deserves kindness. I've spilled too much blood, I've failed my people time and time again."

Lifting her head, Elsa pressed her lips against Jaina's, stopping any further words. Jaina savored the taste and softness, fighting the desire and need and loneliness that the simple action sparked all over again.

"Remember what I told you?" Elsa said, mouth fluttering against Jaina's. "I used to think I was a monster, until I realized that love helped me control my powers. That it is love and kindness and family and positive emotions that grant me control. That it's fear and anger and sadness that costs me that control."

"My powers don't work-"

Elsa put her finger over Jaina's lips. "That's not the point. I think we both suffer constant doubts about who we are as people and what our abilities mean for us _as_ people."

Throat bobbing, Jaina held Elsa's gaze, feeling unsure, raw and open. Her voice sounded heavy, "I really don't know _who_ I am anymore."

She'd been questioning herself ever since she'd come here. The benefit of hindsight and time to wind down from … everything ... had made her absolutely horrified by what she was capable of. And yet, every time she had that realization she could not come up with anything she could have done differently. It felt like her path had been guided by an invisible hand.

Inevitable. Inexorable.

Arendelle had been such a breath of fresh air.

She felt Elsa's hand slide into her robe and around her waist. The Queen trailed her fingers up her spine and traced patterns in the skin of her back. "Do you think that maybe ending up in my kingdom is a chance for you to answer that question?"

"Are you talking about fate?"

"I'm saying that you've been running from those questions since we carried you out of the snow." Elsa snuggled in closer, her proximity maddening.

Jaina started to mimic Elsa's actions, stroking her back in lazy circles. "What about you? What do you want?"

"Understanding." Elsa propped herself up on her elbow, gazing down at Jaina. "Of myself. Of you. Of us."

_Us_. A dangerous word. And a dangerous glint in Elsa's eyes, but Jaina had already crossed the line when they'd kissed. She'd never get Elsa out of her head now and if she was able to get home … Well, at least Jaina was used to living with heartache.

She was used to living with regret too. Regret over what she'd done, or what she hadn't done or who she had let go. She'd regret this either way, so Jaina tangled her fingers in Elsa's hair, pulling her head down to kiss her. Elsa came willingly, returning the kiss eagerly, pushing the robe back and off, fingertips grazing up Jaina's stomach.

Jaina took Elsa's right hand and pushed it against her breast, groaning when Elsa immediately squeezed. Her own hands roamed down Elsa's sides; though instead of inching the gown up, this time Jaina pulled it up as quickly as she could, stroking the skin of Elsa's hip, kneading at her rear and then tracing her finger along the curve where Elsa's leg joined with her butt.

Elsa whimpered into Jaina's mouth, hips jerking. She hooked her leg over Jaina's, hands caressing and exploring the mage's breasts. She broke the kiss, inhaling deeply and staring into Jaina's eyes. Slowly, she pushed Jaina onto her back, straddling her hips.

The gown melted away into mist before Jaina's very eyes, revealing perfect breasts. They weren't too large, just enough to make for a little more than a nice handful, with a smattering of pale freckles on her chest and shoulders to match those on her face. Jaina traced patterns on Elsa's legs, then up her stomach and around her breasts. Breasts, Jaina decided, were a marvel. Elsa's eyes fluttered shut, her mouth hanging open as Jaina caressed them, rubbing her thumbs across Elsa's nipples in the way that she herself liked to be touched.

Elsa shuddered, falling forward and catching herself on the headboard with both hands. Grinning, Jaina wrapped one arm around Elsa, pulling her down just enough for her mouth to reach a breast.

Jaina moved her lips across Elsa, tasting the salt of her skin. She caught the nipple with her mouth, tongue flicking out experimentally. The sweet sounding moan she extracted from Elsa made her skin buzz and her stomach tighten. Jaina gave each breast equal attention, sliding her hand down Elsa's stomach and then down the inside of Elsa's right thigh.

It was a simple equation; Jaina knew what she liked in bed and it was reasonable to assume that was a good place to start with Elsa until she figured out what she was actually doing and what Elsa responded to best. Besides, Jaina _loved_ experimenting. So she experimented, savoring the feel of Elsa under her fingers, the warmth and slick wetness that greeted her as she explored, caressed and stroked.

And the Queen shivered and trembled, responding readily to Jaina's touch. She was beautiful, her sounds sweet to Jaina's ears. But Elsa was as curious as she was, moving her hands from the headboard to Jaina, stroking and playing with her breasts, darting daringly down her stomach.

Elsa rolled them onto their sides, catching Jaina in a sudden kiss before hooking her leg over Jaina's hip. Jaina hadn't counted on Elsa experimenting too, letting out a pleading moan when Elsa's hand slipped between her legs. Heat and fire spread through her core and out to her limbs and in response she sank a finger into Elsa, feeling her entire body writhe and tense in response.

Jaina broke the kiss, holding Elsa's gaze as their fingers explored together, her eagerness and need mirrored in the Queen's eyes. A tightness spread through Jaina then centered deep in her stomach, like a spring coiling past its limit. Intellectually, she knew what it was, but...

No one but herself had ever made her come before and yet the excitement and newness and _Elsa_ were enough to bring her to that edge. Elsa's breathing was becoming ragged, her skin flushed and her pupils blown wide. She tensed suddenly, burying her face into Jaina's breast and muffling herself as Jaina drew out an orgasm, fingers crooking and thumb pressing. The _everything_ of that, the feel of Elsa's fingers inside her, the slickness of their bodies as Elsa spasmed, and then Jaina was falling off that cliff too.

"Gods…" Jaina pulled Elsa a little closer, wanting every inch of their bodies to be touching. Feeling like she was floating on a cloud, she started to giggle, a girlish sound that surprised her.

Even if she went back, _when_ she went back, Jaina knew she'd just given a part of herself that would stay.

And she'd do it again in a heartbeat.


	6. Beacon in the Night

Jaina was practically glowing, rolling onto her back and trying to catch her breath between fits of giggles and Elsa couldn't help but laugh with her.

She reached over, stroking her cheek with the back of her hand, then trailing her fingers along Jaina's chest. Jaina had so many scars, and Elsa wanted to kiss them all. But she started with the freckles dusting her chest, and heard Jaina's breath hitch when she did so.

Fingers wove their way into her hair, and she lifted her head to look at Jaina again. "…are you crying?"

Jaina shook her head, despite clear evidence to the contrary. Elsa scooted back up, and wiped at the tears with her thumbs. "I didn't think I was that bad."

"What? No, it's not you! I mean, it's not…" Jaina trailed off when Elsa smiled at her.

"I'm teasing."

"I'm old and frumpy," Jaina said after a long moment's silence. "And here you are, kissing my imperfections. Wanting me."

"I think that everyone has something about themselves they hate, because they're not looking at themselves through someone else's eyes." Elsa pulled Jaina's head into her lap, idly playing with the blonde stripe in her hair. "You're not that much older, Jaina. And definitely not frumpy."

"That's because you're biased."

Elsa felt like her heart was about to drop into her stomach. "Is that … bad?"

"No…" Jaina took Elsa's hand, kissing her fingertips. "I'd just forgotten what it was like for someone to look at me like this. Like I'm human. I just can't believe someone as gorgeous as you wants me."

Heart starting to beat again, Elsa lowered her voice. It was silly, there was no one else to hear, but she lowered it nonetheless. "Do you regret it?"

Jaina sat up on her elbow a little, cupping Elsa's face. "Not even a little bit. I can't remember the last time I felt this at peace."

Was it selfish of Elsa to want Jaina to stay? To never return to Azeroth. She could say it was because of how peaceful Jaina looked, how being removed from war and conflict and those dark terrible things that Jaina was afraid of lessened the shadows in her eyes.

But she also wanted her to stay because she _liked_ her. Because it would be so easy to fall in love with her, and maybe she already had and Anna was never going to let her live that down. But that, _that_ was selfish. She'd promised to help Jaina go home and she wouldn't break that promise. "Peace is a good look on you."

Jaina looked conflicted, then sighed and nodded. "Guess so."

"Mm," Elsa said, sliding her hand over one of Jaina's breasts and groping her. Jaina started to laugh and Elsa grinned back before dissolving into giggles herself. That was an even better look on Jaina. Probably one of her favorites.

"Stay with me tonight?" Jaina asked, pulling Elsa down on top of her.

Elsa fell willingly, nuzzling her nose into Jaina's neck. "I was afraid to ask."

"Don't worry, I'll teleport you back into your room in the morning. To avoid any awkward questions."

"No." Elsa lifted her head, pressing her lips to Jaina's cheek. "I'll be fine sneaking back."

"If you're going to sneak, use my portal." Jaina turned her head enough for their lips to meet. "We could even just go to your chambers and I'll sneak out in the morning."

Elsa's throat bobbed. If they slept in her bed, it would smell like Jaina; and that would only make everything so much harder sooner or later. But her mouth betrayed her. "That sounds good."

"Just give me a minute, I can't feel my toes." Jaina grinned, sitting up and stretching. Elsa admired the view, reaching out to absently run her finger along a scar on Jaina's back.

Higher up was the wound from that arrow, looking much better than it had when she'd first arrived. "How are you feeling? In general."

"My wounds still hurt," Jaina admitted, looking at Elsa over her shoulder. "But my magic reserves are a lot stronger. I just don't know how to replicate the conditions that caused my portal to take me here instead of where I was aiming for."

"What were you thinking of, at the time?"

Jaina exhaled, then held up her hand as arcane energy crackled around it. "I was thinking that I was tired."

The portal snapped into place, showing Elsa her room. She slipped out of bed, sauntering towards it. Jaina grabbed her robe and quickly appeared behind her, hands sliding from her hips to just below her breasts. Before Elsa could respond, Jaina pulled her against her into a hug, breasts against her back and lips against her ear. Her breath was hot, but her voice broke. "I was thinking that it wouldn't be such a bad thing if I died."

**❄️**

Sunlight filtered in through a frost covered window, striking Jaina in the eyes and rudely bringing her awake. Something stirred next to her, and Jaina turned her head away from the window and to the woman curled against her side. Gently, she stroked Elsa's back, brushing hair from her face with her other hand.

Just then, in the morning sun with Elsa's sleeping face taking up the whole of her view, Jaina felt _happy_.

And as long as she was happy, she would not be able to rip open a tear between worlds. Jaina thought she'd figured it out. She'd been at her most desperate, her lowest point, and somewhere deep inside, the woman she'd been, the woman she still wanted to be, had searched for a way out.

The question that remained was who Jaina was going to be now. She could never be the same again. Not who she was before Theramore, nor after, nor the Jaina before Arendelle.

Every day was a lesson learned, and as she ran her fingers through Elsa's hair Jaina decided that the next lesson she needed to learn was to let go of the past, and embrace the future. It was _good_ to be alive.

And there was so much to learn here. Elsa had shown Jaina her books on her cosmos. On the planets and stars and moons that made up the night sky over Arendelle. There'd even been a model of Earth and its planetary neighbors.

Jaina had found that especially fascinating, as Azeroth only had two companions; the White Lady and Blue Child. As far as she knew there were no other planets orbiting that star. And she knew that Velen and the Draenei had mapped much of the cosmos on their long exodus but they'd never encountered any star with eight planets. She still didn't know if Earth was another timeline, or simply a part of the universe that not even the Legion had managed to destroy.

The thought of the Legion, or any of the other threats that had assailed Azeroth just within Jaina's lifetime coming to Earth and ravaging this beautiful planet was enough to destroy her. If the eldritch abominations that lurked beneath the surface ever learned of this world… She pushed all that out of her mind, and gazed down at Elsa.

Leaning down, Jaina kissed behind her ear, then blew softly in it. As the Queen started to stir awake, Jaina kissed at the freckles on her shoulder, brushing her spine with her fingers.

A broad smile crossed Elsa's lips and she shivered under Jaina's touch. "Good morning."

Jaina laid her cheek on the small of Elsa's back and smiled up at her as Elsa peered back over her shoulder. "Good morning to you."

Elsa twisted around until she was on her back and sitting up. Jaina moved her face to Elsa's leg, turning her head to kiss her thigh. She was getting an idea, something she wanted to try, something she wanted to _taste_, so she slid her hand up the inside of Elsa's legs and teased at her skin.

"We should … breakfast…" Elsa breathed.

"That's what I'm planning on," Jaina replied, grinning, before settling between Elsa's legs. She didn't give her lover any time to think before she was brushing her lips across Elsa's core, flicking her tongue out and savoring the taste of her.

By the time she'd sated herself, Elsa's voice had become hoarse, her body covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Jaina smiled at her, satisfied with her work. Her scalp ached from Elsa's fingers and nails but the pain was more than worth it. She inched her way up her body, allowing her skin to caress Elsa's as she did so, before she kissed her. "I should get back to my room before someone comes to wake you up."

Elsa just waved a hand, a stupidfied grin on her face.

Laughing, Jaina collected her robe and quickly teleported away, before she could find another reason to stay.

It felt so _good_ to laugh. To feel happy and content and like there were actually some decent things in the world. Jaina decided she'd take a walk after breakfast. With the Queen, hopefully, but she'd go regardless. Elsa had duties and while she wanted to monopolize her, Jaina knew better.

She washed up, grinning giddily the whole time before she made her way to the dining hall.

Elsa was talking excitedly with her sister. Rather, Anna was doing most of the talking and the excitement while Elsa listened and blushed profusely. Anna stopped when she realized Jaina had entered the room. Her chair squeaked on the floor as she stood and pointed.

"_YOU!_"

Jaina glanced behind herself, then back at Anna. "Me?"

Anna darted her eyes, coughed, and said much more quietly. "Er. Yes. You. Join us?"

"Of course." Jaina took the seat opposite the sisters and barely had time to blink before someone had set a plate in front of her. She thanked the servant, then turned to Elsa. "I was going to take a long walk today. If you … have the time, I wouldn't mind the company."

"I'm afraid duty calls." Elsa chuckled, eyes locked on Jaina's.

"I'll go," Anna volunteered. "If you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all." Jaina smiled at her. If anything, staying on the Princess's good side would only be of benefit to her. She could see the shovel talk coming a mile away.

Elsa tapped her finger on the table before speaking. "Do you want to have dinner tonight? Just the two of us."

Anna's head snapped in Elsa's direction and Jaina couldn't tell if she looked smug or alarmed. It didn't matter, she hadn't felt this free in years, so she eagerly accepted. "I'd love that."

She just had to survive Anna first.

**❄️**

Anna wasn't dumb. Sometimes she worried people thought she was. She was excitable, she knew. She didn't always think things through and even though two years as a mother had tempered her somewhat, she still tended to act first and ask questions later.

But she'd known Elsa had been in Jaina's room. She'd seen Elsa walking a little wobbly into the dining room. Her sister had been distracted, and blushing, and completely unable to hide the smile on her face. It was a smile Anna knew well, considering how often Kristoff was able to put one on her own face.

While she didn't believe that Jaina was some kind of Hans come to usurp the throne and murder everyone, she also wasn't sure how long the mage would actually stay. And when she left, _if_ she left, she was going to break Elsa's heart.

Clasping her hands behind her back, she followed Jaina as they walked through the snow. "So … what are your intentions towards my sister?"

She must have caught Jaina off guard because she ran into a low hanging branch. Cursing, Jaina rubbed her head. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard what I said."

"Okay." Jaina waited for Anna to catch up before she started to walk again. "Your sister is intelligent and witty. Both qualities I like in a person. She's … stunning. That's not something I'm going to pretend isn't a factor."

None of that really answered Anna's question, but she let Jaina speak, avoiding a tree root as she listened.

Jaina came to a stop in a clearing, folding her arms over her chest. "I'm not sure 'intentions' is the right word here, Anna."

"Uh that's easy? Do you love her or are you just using her for her royal body. Duh."

Whirling around, Jaina gaped at her. "I'm not using Elsa for anything! That's the last thing I'd do to her. I know exactly what it feels like to feel isolated and alone. I thought I was just helping her with her powers. I never expected to get attached to her."

Something crackled in the clearing, and the hair on the back of Anna's neck stood on end. A sphere popped into existence, and in the rapidly spinning light of it she could see some other land.

Jaina held out her arm to Anna. "Don't get any closer. I think that's the portal that took me here."

Anna's heart sank. "So you can go home."

She could see the conflict on Jaina's face, before Jaina shook her head. "It's unstable, it's as likely to kill me as not. But give me a few minutes and I might be able to figure out how to either stabilize it, or open a new one."

"And after that?"

"I don't know." Jaina's hands glowed, runes and letters floating around them as she cautiously approached the portal. She stopped several feet away and peered in.

The portal was fluctuating too rapidly for Anna to make out any details. She thought she saw the occasional figure, and something dark and ominous writhing. The scene shifted, Jaina looking through other portals to other places. A city of white stone and blue rooftops, another of iron walls and red spikes, an underground city, and one with elegant buildings of white and blue. They all shared one thing in common; those writhing shapes and a feeling of _wrongness_ that froze Anna's blood.

"No…" Jaina twisted her hand, and another image appeared through the rippling portal. A floating city, shimmering under a protective bubble as all manner of unfathomably frightening things assailed it.

"Jaina, what's wrong?" She ran over, but when she put her hand on Jaina's shoulder she could feel the wrongness of whatever was on the other side of that portal so strongly that it made her stomach ill.

"The Horde and Alliance … they're losing. Azeroth is dying. There … there might not be anything for me to go back to," Jaina said, after a long moment's silence. Her eyes were locked on that floating city. Slowly, she turned her head towards Anna. "There might still be something I can do but I need to talk to Elsa first. I need you to get her and my staff."

A portal appeared behind Anna, the familiar outlines of the castle on the other side. Anna looked at Jaina, at the portal to another world, then to her own home. Nodding, she jumped through the latter.

**❄️**

Alone now, Jaina closed her eyes, centering herself and preparing for what she had to do. Stormwind, Orgrimmar, Ironforge, Suramar … they'd all fallen. Every major city and more. The only place that remained free was Dalaran, and as Jaina used her magic to stabilize the portal she could sense how crowded it was.

Dalaran's population had been a little over three thousand when she'd left Azeroth, but Jaina could count _tens_ of thousands of people there now. She couldn't imagine what that must be like, the crush of bodies, the panic rippling through the crowds. This … this was the endgame for the war between the Horde and Alliance. It had been exactly what she'd feared, exactly why she'd portaled in such a hurry to begin with. The extinction of everything and everyone she knew and loved and hated.

It was too late for regrets. What Jaina needed to do now was dig deep into her magics. To create something to anchor her to Earth and Arendelle, a beacon in the night for her to follow.

"Jaina. Is … that the chaos you spoke of?"

Elsa's voice did nothing to ease her nerves, but she was still glad to hear it. Looking at the woman who'd come to mean so much to her, Jaina asked, "What is Arendelle's policy on refugees?"

Surprise flickered across Elsa's face, then understanding as the portal reflected in her eyes. They narrowed, slightly, and she replied. "Our borders are open, but I will not tolerate your war coming to my doorstep."

Jaina nodded. "It's a fair bet that both sides have lost that war, Elsa. There'll be time to figure out the diplomacy later, I'm not actually sure how much longer they can hold out."

She took her staff from Elsa, before stepping close and pressing something into her palm. "This is my anchor. It's the only way I'll be able to find my way back to you."

"I guess I didn't need to help send you home." Elsa opened her hand, staring down at the anchor pendant that usually dangled from Jaina's neck.

"I'm coming back," Jaina promised. She hesitated, then added. "Even if all was well, Elsa. I don't know if I'd actually have gone back." And now she'd never know.

Elsa smiled and cupped her face, then pulled her in and kissed her. "Good luck."

The return trip through the portal was rough, like riding on a rowboat in a squall and when Jaina stepped onto the streets of Dalaran, she had to fight a wave of nausea. It took her a moment to clear her head, before she took in the city that had helped raise her. She could feel a presence lock onto her, trying to slither into her mind. Jaina shut it out as she looked around.

It was complete and utter chaos. Bodies pressed in from every direction, and Jaina recognized races from not just the Alliance and Horde, but others; everything from Quillboar to Kobolds and Naga, Tuskarr, Furbolgs, Troggs and Gnolls and a dozen others, even a few Murlocs. There were even people clinging to rooftops and walls, dragons perched precariously on domes, and Onu, a towering tree-like Ancient of Lore, carrying over a dozen people of various races in his branches. There was even, bizarrely, a train of mules being barely kept from panic by a Troll.

In just a quick glance, Jaina could see every intelligent race she knew of cowering together in fear. Overhead, the magical bubble wobbled with every strike from massive, writhing tendrils and faceless creatures that beat and pounded and tried to break through. The roar of them mingling with the screams within the city was almost deafening.

The Vindicaar, a crystalline Draenei spaceship, had either landed or crashed onto the city's prison, and on the North side of the city near the landing, the flying Death Knight citadel of Acherus was precariously close to Dalaran. Even as Jaina watched, thousands of people were streaming across a makeshift bridge through a hole in the magical shield covering Dalaran. They weren't just Death Knights; in fact, most of them appeared to be desperate civilians and citizens.

Acherus shook and started to split apart as a tendril ripped through the center. The barrier closed with people still on the bridge, cutting off their screams. More tendrils wrapped around Acherus, pulling it towards the ground as it was torn apart.

Jaina turned and started to push her way through the city as quickly as she could. Murmurs of "Lord Admiral?" and "Jaina?" followed in her wake, the voices around her rising with every few feet she ran.

And then the crowd started to part before her, and she ran up the steps to the Violet Citadel. She used her magic to slam the doors open, and paused at the threshold to take in the sight within.

Nearly every leader of the Horde and Alliance was present, as well as both Archmages Khadgar and Kalecgos of Dalaran's Council of Six. Jaina looked at each of them in turn, from High King Anduin Wrynn all the way to the undead High Elf and Horde Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner. King Greymane of Gilneas was missing, his daughter Tess standing in his place, and Tyrande Whisperwind of the Night Elves stood alone without her husband.

Jaina didn't want to think about what that probably meant.

"Jaina…" Anduin took a step towards her, staring in disbelief.

"Ah. You survived," Sylvanas said, dryly. She looked Jaina over with red, glowig eyes, "_Pity_."

"How can this be?" Khadgar stepped around the gathered leaders, rushing up to Jaina and grasping her by the shoulders. "You were dead! I felt your magic depart this world, snuffed out like a candle! You've been gone for two years!"

Two _years_? Jaina blinked, mouth dropping open as a sick feeling gripped her gut. She'd only been in Arendelle a few _months_.

Her voice shook despite the numbness in her limbs. "Tell me. Is Azeroth truly lost?"

"This is the last bastion," Anduin said. He looked like he wanted to hug her, and she felt the same. "The Old God N'zoth has resurrected the Black Empire. We're all that's left, at least those not dead or driven mad. The Vindicaar and Acherus tried to bring as many people to Dalaran as possible."

"Acherus is gone, I arrived just as it fell," Jaina said. "We need to teleport Dalaran and the Vindicaar."

Khadgar shook his head, expression bleak and voice resigned. "There's no place left to teleport to."

"And the rest of the Council is gone," Kalecgos added, looking at Jaina with concern. "We don't have the power to move both with all these people, even with you aiding us."

She looked between Khadgar and her former lover. Khadgar looked so much older than when she'd last seen him. He was sporting a beard again, and his hair was unkempt. Kalec looked the same as always, his human illusion masking his own wear and tear. "The four mages here," Jaina nodded at First Arcanist Thalyssra, leader of the Nightborne, in acknowledgement, "And ten of the strongest mage champions we have left will be enough, and I know a place we can go that will be safe. But there's a condition."

"Isn't there always?" Sylvanas asked, approaching Jaina like a cat stalking a mouse. "Let me guess, whatever is left of the Horde submits to you?"

Tension was rising in the air, even as Dalaran shook from another assault, causing dust and debris to fall from above. Jaina held the Warchief's gaze, that old hatred stirring in her heart. "The war is over, Windrunner, and it cannot start again. _Peace_ is the condition. Peace for survival."

Sylvanas cocked her head. "Agreed. We can discuss the _details_ after the teleport."

There would be many details to discuss. Peace. Finding places for everyone in Arendelle and beyond. How many of each faction and race were left. Jaina was aware of the sudden irony; all the wars and strife had started when the Orcs invaded Azeroth and now here they all were about to flee to Earth. Would they ultimately be invaders too?

Tyrande split off from where she'd been standing near Thalyssra. "Where _exactly_ will you be taking us?"

Jaina held a great deal of respect for Whisperwind. She craned her head to look up at the statuesque elf. "A kingdom called Arendelle on a planet called Earth. So far away that they've never even heard of the Burning Legion, let alone the Void."

The High Priestess tilted her head to the side, guilt on her violet face. "We risk bringing all our strife to these people. And what if the Void follows us? Or remnants of the Burning Legion? There are many demons that still run rampant across the universe."

"Either we all go extinct here, or we flee to fight another day." Anduin stepped to Tyrande's side. "We can one day retake Azeroth. But not if we're all dead."

Perhaps the one thing that spoke most to how tenuous the situation was had to be the fact that no one had questioned her. Not even Sylvanas had voiced any opinion on if she could be trusted. She had been willing to immediately accept the possibility or at least consider it. If nothing else Sylvanas's dedication to the survival of her people was one of the things that defined her.

Jaina took a deep breath, because that fact and that fact alone told her _exactly_ how fucked they were.

"We need those mages. Now."

While a runner was dispatched, Jaina explained to Khadgar, Thalyssra, and Kalec what they needed to do. She didn't bother to keep her voice down or move somewhere more secretive; for one thing there wasn't any place not already jam packed with people, but for the other, she'd wanted the leaders of the surviving peoples of Azeroth to know exactly what was going on.

The mages arrives quickly. Jaina recognized a few of them; the human woman Lissibeth had been in charge of Dalaran's library the last she'd known, Velshada Wolfsong, a Draenei who had once written a remarkable paper on musical harmonies as they related to magic, and a fiery Blood Elf named Naryanis. Jaina had traded firebolts with her on more than one occasion during the war.

Good, this was good. There was enough magical power between the fourteen of them to move Dalaran across time and space.

Jaina rolled her shoulders, looking around as the mages all gathered in a circle. "I don't need to tell you that this might kill some of us. Or even all of us. If you want to back out now, I won't judge."

None did.

Holding her hands out in front of her, Jaina began to channel and direct the spell. "Then let us begin."


	7. Arrival

Elsa barely heard Anna, Kristoff and Sven approach, and didn't even question how or why they might have known to come. But when she heard his voice she was grateful for his presence; she now had her family with her, while she waited.

"How long do you think this will take?"

She glanced back at Kristoff. "It's only been a few minu-"

The ground shifted under her feet and then the sky ripped open with a thunderous boom. Through the rip, Elsa could see strange constellations, and two moons. And hanging in that rift was a city, perched atop floating rocks. Some kind of shield rippled and wavered, and then popped as the rift closed. There were many spires, and for a moment Elsa found herself enraptured by the sight of it, her mind trying to figure out how it was made and if she could somehow replicate it.

Objects started to fall, rocks and debris and what appeared to be a tentacle from some kind of giant octopus. There were other things too, that fell and flailed and made the Earth shudder in response.

But the city shuddered as well, tilting towards the sea. And then it began to fall. Elsa's heart froze in her chest. "It's headed for the fjord! Sven!"

The reindeer didn't need a second order, darting forward and hooking his antlers under Elsa, flipping her over onto his back as he started to gallop through the forest. Branches cut at Elsa's face, her hair coming loose as she kept her head low as they raced for the fjord. Overhead, Jaina's city rumbled and shook, as though someone were trying to control its fall. It was moving too fast, falling at an angle and fast enough that Elsa was certain the impact would not just destroy that beautiful city, but Arendelle as well. Worse, over the crashing of trees and crunching rock, she could hear people screaming. They must be so _terrified_.

"Faster, Sven!"

She lept off of Sven's back when they reached the sea, hiking her dress up and slamming her foot on the ground with more force than typically necessary. Elsa was operating on instinct, yes, but she remembered the lessons Jaina had tried to teach her. While she'd been afraid to push her powers to the limits, she had no choice now.

Now, she didn't need the ability to control a small, precise space. Now, she needed the power of _scale_.

Frost spread from her foot, racing across the fjord and towards the falling city. Walls of ice shot up, rising and rising, but not to create a barrier. Elsa spread her hands out, smoothing and softening the top of the wall with snow while creating additional walls in decreasing height behind it.

Dalaran hit the first wall harder than she'd expected, a few buildings collapsing on the western side. But it slowed, and Elsa adjusted her walls with their soft cushions of snow, trying to decrease the angle and speed of descent as she formed what was basically a monsterous ramp. Rock crushed ice, a rumbling sound that drifted across the water.

It was still sliding too fast, and the screaming carried across the water but Elsa tuned it out, putting all her focus and strength into one last effort. If she couldn't stop it here it would crash into the land on the other side of the fjord.

A storm swirled in the fjord, a whirling cyclone of wind and snow and ice and a monster rose out of the water as Elsa created Marshmallow's big brother. Tall as a mountain, with arms each as big as Arendelle Castle, Megamarshmallow spread his arms just as Dalaran slid off the edge of the last wall. He took a massive step back, and then a second, his heel crushing the land opposite the main shore. The western side of the floating island pressed into his chest, gigantic arms wrapping around the city. He swayed, and the city hung there for several long seconds before Megamarshmallow began to lose his grip. Fast, almost too fast he tried to lower the city into the sea.

His arms gave out, and then Megamarshmallow crumbled into snowdust as Dalaran dropped into the water.

The impact sent up a wave in all directions and though Elsa could feel a kind of exhaustion she'd never known before, she threw her hands out, ice encircling Dalaran and catching the wave before it could reach the town - or any other part of the fjord where some unfortunate fisher or hunter might have been plying her trade.

Elsa rested her hands on her knees, panting for breath. Her magic was usually so _effortless_, and yet her limbs felt heavy and her heart raced. But Dalaran settled serenely in the fjord and mercifully, the screaming had stopped.

**❄️**

Jaina ached down to her bone marrow, a feeling of intense exhaustion washing over her. Though there'd been screaming outside the citadel, the only screaming inside had been from herself and the rest of the mages as one by one, the effort burned them out.

She sank to one knee, feeling like her heart was going to beat through her ribcage, barely able to keep her head up. Kalec was leaning both hands on his knees, Khadgar had collapsed but was still breathing and Thalyssra was barely standing.

Of the champions, only three still lived. Naryanis lay on her back, skin as pale as a ghost and breathing shallowly, while Velshada and Lissibeth kept each other upright through the basic physics of leaning against each other.

"Well," Khadgar rasped, pushing himself to his knees. "That was an adventure." His sharp eyes took in the scene, sadness reflected in them at the mages who'd been lost. "And such a high cost."

"I think it worked." Jaina forced herself to stand, then held her hands out to Khadgar and Kalec, and hauled them to their feet as well. "And we all knew the risks."

Khadgar looked at each of them in turn, and then said. "My fellow Archmages. I declare us the Council of Seven, then. A new council for a new era."

No one argued, and Jaina was certain no one had the _energy_ to argue anyway. Velshada in particular looked shell-shocked, but before she could make her way over to reassure the Draenei, the door burst open, filling the citadel with unfiltered and pure sunlight. Standing in the doorway was a Night Elf, with purple hair pulled back into twin ponytails and threaded through with multicolored string.

Waving at her, Khadgar asked, "Yukale, what is it?"

"You won't believe this," Yukale said. "But a ginormous snowman caught the city!"

Jaina started laughing, tilting her head back as tears broke free and flowed down her face. Elsa. Of course.

Despite how badly she wanted to see Elsa (needed to, if she was quite honest with herself), Jaina knew there was still too much left to do. She had to prepare the leaders of each faction; Alliance, Horde, the Kirin Tor, and someone to represent everyone else who'd been crammed into Dalaran, as well. They needed to understand what kind of world Earth was, and be prepared to negotiate.

"Jaina," Khadgar said, his voice interrupting her train of thought.

She looked at him, steadying herself; she still hadn't gone outside to see the damage she'd caused. "Yes, Archmage?"

"I speak for the Kirin Tor, and for myself, when I suggest that _you_ be the liaison between the peoples of Azeroth and those of this new world."

"What reason do we have to trust her?" Sylvanas's voice cut through the citadel, the red glow of her eyes wholly focused on Jaina.

Jaina reached down into herself, searching for that anger, that _hatred_ of the Banshee Queen that had sustained her for so much of the war against the Horde. All she found was ash and tears. So she smiled, walking over to Sylvanas on legs that she refused to let tremble, and held out her hand. "It's a new world, Warchief. Are you going to wallow in the old one or step forward with the rest of us?"

"And you trust _me_?" Sylvanas eyed Jaina's hand, eyes flicking back to her face with an expression halfway between contempt and respect.

"Not yet. But it's not _my_ trust you'll need to earn."

Sylvanas did not take her hand, but she nodded nonetheless. "Diplomacy it is then."

**❄️**

It was Kalecgos who suggested that the Life-binder represent the surviving peoples of Azeroth who were not affiliated with the Horde, Alliance or the Kirin Tor. A neutral party who'd dedicated much of her long life to the protection of life on Azeroth, Alexstrasza had seemed like the perfect choice. Jaina had approved and evidently so did the hastily assembled Council of Free Peoples.

It had been a strange sight, watching Naga and Furbolg and Pirates alike argue about the merits, but in the end, no one could find an argument against the dragon, nor come up with an alternative.

Jaina could imagine how they must look, walking across the ice-bridge that the Queen had created to link Arendelle and Dalaran. Such a strange collection of people was something most on Earth may have never seen before. There was Anduin on her left, of course, and Khadgar behind her. But an undead elf walked on her right and Alexstrasza in her mortal, elf-like form was taller than any of them, and still bore her horns, curving out of her forehead and long red hair.

She was also the least modest, wearing a short, low-cut top under a jacket that hung open, but no one told the former Aspect of Life what she could and could not wear.

And she still lacked _pants_, Jaina thought.

No one was on the street as they walked up towards the castle, though she felt many eyes looking at them from windows and doorways. It would take time to make the people comfortable with the strangers, but there was nothing but time, now.

Sculptures lined the courtyard leading to the castle, animals carefully crafted from ice. Stags and wolves mostly, but also the goats that Arendelle seemed to love, and Jaina wondered what point Elsa was trying to prove. She could imagine Elsa wanting to _make_ some kind of point about herself and the strength of her small kingdom, in the face of a potential threat.

There were more ice sculptures inside the castle. Guards this time too, each and every man and woman standing perfectly still though not without nerves. Jaina understood; every person with her could destroy everyone in this kingdom single-handedly, and they all practically oozed power.

Elsa sat on her throne, wearing an elegant gown of the deepest shade of blue Jaina had ever seen. Her hair had been made into a severe braid, which only brought into stark relief a cut on her face. Yes, Jaina thought. Elsa was projecting strength. Even the crown she'd chosen to wear instead of her usual tiara had that effect; it reminded Jaina of the crown she'd seen in paintings of Elsa's father.

It was probably exactly that.

Anna was standing at her side, though Jaina could see how tightly she gripped the armrest. Kristoff stood nearby, close enough to provide silent support to Anna, not so close as to be inappropriate.

Jaina bowed to Elsa, and then stepped aside to gesture at the people with her. "Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, I present to you the representatives from Azeroth and the leaders of our surviving factions. Archmage Khadgar, of the Kirin Tor of Dalaran, the city that now neighbors you."

"Your Majesty." Khadgar bowed deeply.

"Anduin Wrynn, King of Stormwind and High King of the Alliance."

Anduin bowed as well. Jaina gestured to Sylvanas and spoke with remarkable calmness. "Sylvanas Windrunner, Warchief of the Horde and Banshee Queen of the Forsaken."

If Jaina's choice to highlight the Forsaken startled Sylvanas, she did not let on. Nor did she bow, though she dipped her head towards Elsa.

"And Alexstrasza the Life-binder, Aspect of Life, Queen of the Red Dragonflight and representative of the unaffiliated peoples of Azeroth."

The dragon bowed her head farther than Sylvanas had, and smiled kindly.

Jaina swallowed, and clasped her hands behind her back. "They have elected to make me the liaison between our peoples as we try to figure out the uncertain course ahead of us all."

She watched Elsa's eyebrow raise. It was still one of her favorite expressions, but to her credit she didn't stumble because of it. "So in that capacity I wanted to thank you. Their … our people owe you our lives."

Elsa seemed to take a breath, and wait a heartbeat, before she spoke. "I welcome you all to Arendelle, and you have my deepest sympathies for the trials you have been through and the people you have lost."

She gestured with her hand, and someone wheeled in a table with a map. Standing, Elsa stepped down from the throne. "Until we can all figure out a more permanent solution, I've taken the liberty of selecting a few sites for temporary settlements to help with the overcrowding in your city."

Jaina knew there was a chance some of those could become permanent, but she doubted Elsa had selected any site without that possibility in mind. She nodded to Anduin and the others and stepped up to the table. Besides the map of Arendelle, there were several other unmarked maps. She looked at Elsa curiously.

"I've sent a message to my cousin in Corona as well as a few other allies to see if any would be willing to take in refugees," Elsa said, pointing out each country in turn. "There are unpopulated but disputed islands here, and here, that we may be able to negotiate for with our neighbors."

"Dalaran blocks part of the fjord," Khadgar said, pressing his finger to the map. When he lifted it, there was a new mark there to indicate the magical city. "Give us some time to recover and we can move it out to sea a little ways."

Elsa's eyes flicked to Jaina, and Jaina nodded very slightly, keenly aware that Sylvanas in particular would note that exchange.

"That would be good," Elsa said. "Until then I can create ice bridges to allow people to depart."

"I can open portals to allow representatives from the other nations to arrive more quickly," Jaina promised. The sooner Dalaran had a more manageable population, and the sooner Horde and Alliance were separated, the better. "What about the Vindicaar?"

"The Vindicaar?" Elsa asked.

"It's a ship that belongs to a member of the Alliance," Anduin explained. "It came with many refugees from across Azeroth, barely reaching Dalaran before the end. I'll talk to Velen, we can probably move it into the sea near Dalaran until we understand more of how magic works in this world and why Dalaran fell."

"Our magic still works," Jaina assured him. "But one does need to change the math a little, I've learned."

She caught sight of Olaf entering the throne room and looking at the strangers with curiosity.

"Flying cities," Anna said, eyes wide with wonder.

"We can give you and the other representatives a tour of Dalaran when they've arrived and there's a bit more room to walk around," Khadgar assured Anna.

Sylvanas stiffened suddenly and looked down to see Olaf, his twiggy little arms wrapped around her leg. "…what is this?"

"That's Olaf," Elsa said. "He's … part of the family."

Olaf looked up at Sylvanas. "You just seem so cold, and I've got a speciality in warm hugs."

"I beg your pardon."

"Oh yes, Olaf," Jaina said, an almost manic grin spreading across her face. "This is Sylvanas, and she desperately needs all the warm hugs you can give her."

Sylvanas looked at Jaina as though she could rip her spine out through her mouth with just the fury in her eyes. Jaina had never felt so happy in her life.


	8. Diplomacy

**❄️❄️❄️Part II❄️❄️❄️**

There was nothing Jaina wanted more than to retire with Elsa and hold fast to her for at least an hour. She was so exhausted that her eyes ached and she was certain that the Queen needed rest as well after such a display of power.

But there remained a few more hours of negotiations yet, and that was even before anything formal could be written up.

Using her staff to keep herself upright, Jaina trailed her eyes over the people clustered around the table and the maps. Sylvanas seemed to be noticing everything, her eyes studying Elsa and Anna both in ways that made Jaina's stomach twist. Despite Elsa's steadiness, she was unable to hide her affection for her sister, even here and now.

That made Anna a target and Sylvanas had clearly figured that out about as quickly as Jaina had, and made the same assessment.

Elsa's eyes lingered on Jaina a fraction of a second too long, and if Jaina hadn't already been paying attention to Sylvanas, she would have missed the flicker of realization in her eyes. _Damn_. Jaina did not like the idea of Sylvanas latching onto possible weaknesses in Elsa.

Edging close to the table and moving to within whispering distance of Sylvanas, Jaina leaned over like she was inspecting the map. In a soft voice, she murmured. "Tread carefully, Sylvanas."

"I would do nothing else," Sylvanas responded, in kind.

At this distance, Sylvanas radiated the coldness of undeath, a sensation that made Jaina feel ill at ease. It was different from the chill that sometimes clung to Elsa like a second skin, though more often than not she was unexpectedly warm. Unlike Sylvanas, Elsa's temperature changed with her moods. "I know where you're looking, and I know what you're thinking. The war is over, there's _no_ need for these kinds of assessments."

Sylvanas leaned over the map as well, just enough that she could meet Jaina's eyes with one of her own. "There is _always_ a need, Proudmoore. The living are fickle, and all it would take is someone deciding my people are monsters and the fires will burn again."

Jaina bit her tongue before she said something she'd regret. Instead, she took a moment, letting Sylvanas's words echo around in her head. Elsa, she thought, would have something to say on the subject of monsters.

The corner of Sylvanas's lip twitched upwards. "You can say it. I know I am a monster."

Rather than engage, Jaina simply asked, "Will you keep the Horde together? Physically, I mean."

The elf raised one long eyebrow. "What are you suggesting?"

Jaina tapped her finger at one spot on the map. "The climate in this area is a little harsher, colder than many other places. The Forsaken would survive well there, and be at less risk of outsiders stumbling across the walking dead. It's not really a thing the people of Earth are familiar with, though I am sure we can find a location that suits everyone. And here, these islands, they would be well suited to the Darkspear and Zandalari Trolls. There will be areas some of us would have to share anyway, that are similar to Nagrand or Elwynn Forest."

Those areas, Jaina knew, would be the most contested, and where the prospect of finding peace between Horde and Alliance without pushing out the people of Earth would be the most difficult.

Sylvanas stared at the map shrewdly, straightening and folding her arms. "Are you _seriously_ suggesting peace will work?"

"I've had time to look at everything," Jaina admitted. "Looking in from out. Seeing my mistakes in a fresh light."

Her voice tightened. "But don't mistake my clarity for pacifism, _Warchief_. I will defend these people from any and _all_ aggression."

"Indeed," Sylvanas mused, gaze falling on the Queen. "I believe you will."

Jaina stared at Sylvanas for a moment, then stepped away from the table, and towards Elsa. "With your permission, Your Majesty. I would like to set up those portals I was talking about."

Elsa nodded, looking past Jaina at Sylvanas with an expression that was almost quizzical. "Very well. I'm sure my cousin is particularly eager."

**❄️**

Watching Jaina conjure up anything was always somewhat of a treat for Elsa, but she particularly enjoyed the portals. Jaina created several in the alcoves on the north side of the throne room. One to Corona, another to the Southern Isles, and three more to other allies, including a nation far to the south and east called Tamrac.

She couldn't focus all her attention on Jaina's magic, not with the strange visitors from another world in her throne room. Even her talks with Jaina couldn't prepare her for elves or a woman with horns. And there were other strange beings besides, like what had sounded like a _minotaur_. She really hoped she got to meet one. Elsa didn't know how well they'd integrate, but she was going to _try_.

Unable to really keep still any longer, Elsa stepped down from the throne, walking to the map table. She wanted to be more involved in this anyway, to extend her hand in diplomacy and make these people friends of Arendelle. Even the ones that Jaina hated. Elsa didn't miss that Jaina always had one eye on the one called Sylvanas, or the subtle, almost subconscious way the representatives had arranged themselves, with Alexstrasza between Horde and Alliance.

It was probably a wise arrangement, at least for now; Elsa could feel some kind of power slumbering beneath the horned woman's skin. Jaina had told her this was a … dragon. A tall, pretty woman and Elsa wondered if her true form would be even more beautiful.

Elsa could feel Sylvanas's eyes on her as she moved. It was a considering, shrewd gaze, different from the way some might leer at her, or otherwise dismiss her for being young and inexperienced. Or female, in more than one case. Clasping her hands behind her back and straightening regally, Elsa met the Warchief's gaze. "See something you like?"

Anna made a choking sound behind her.

"I haven't decided yet," Sylvanas responded, eyes roaming up Elsa's body.

Jaina's hands tightened around her staff, but Elsa ignored that. She had the feeling Sylvanas was testing her, testing both of them, and she had no intention of failing. "You are, all of you, welcome to have a tour of my Kingdom, but I think we'll want to alleviate the overcrowding in Dalaran first."

"Preferably before fighting breaks out," Alexstrasza said. "Tensions are high and even with the prospect of freedom and a new world, things are liable to get worse before they get better."

"Everyone cooped up in Dalaran and knowing there are places to go." Anduin shook his head. "We need to get relocation plans in place as soon as possible."

Sylvanas waved her hand in vague agreement, as people started to come through the portals.

A man with a mop of brown hair and scraggly facial hair stumbled out of one and promptly doubled over, holding his mouth. He was followed by an armed brunette woman in loose leather armor and then a girl with absurdly long hair tied into a braid.

"Rapunzel!" Anna sped across the throne room and enveloped the blonde in a huge hug.

"My cousin, Princess Rapunzel of Corona," Elsa said, gesturing to her. "Her boyfriend, Eugene Fitzherbert, and Cassandra, her…"

"Bodyguard," the brunette filled in, eyes moving from person to person as she studied them and the layout of the throne. Her gaze lingered on Alexstrasza and Elsa couldn't blame the momentary stunned look. But Cassandra quickly caught herself as Elsa introduced the Azerothians.

"Anduin Wrynn, King of Stormwind, Sylvanas Windrunner, Warchief of the Horde, Khadgar of the Council of Dalaran, and Alexstrasza, representative for the unaffiliated peoples of Azeroth."

"Nice," Cassandra said, eyeing Alexstrasza again, before quickly adding. "To meet you. I mean."

"And this is Lord Admiral Jaina Proudmoore, who is the go-between for our world and theirs," Elsa finished.

"Lord Admiral," Eugene said, still looking a little queasy from the portaling. "Now that's a fancy title."

Rapunzel's eyes darted between Elsa and Jaina, before she walked with Anna to the map table. She looked at Sylvanas, who scowled at her, and then promptly positioned herself next to the Warchief. "Hello."

"Hello, Princess," Sylvanas said, drawing out the words.

"Call me Rapunzel. Or Raps. Whatever's easiest." She pulled out a scroll and held it up, still a beam of pure sunshine next to the darkness that was Sylvanas. "My father identified lands in a part Corona that are mostly uninhabited except for a bee farm. Which has, I have to tell you, some of the best honey you'll ever eat."

Sylvanas looked over Rapunzel's head, staring directly at Jaina as if this was somehow her fault. "Sounds delightful."

"Looking at the topographical map, that area of Corona does bear a striking resemblance to Tirisfal Glades," Jaina offered. "And the Forsaken have a unique advantage when it comes to handling stinging insects. I'm even willing to offer some support from Kul Tiras, as we had some of the best bee-keepers on Azeroth."

Elsa watched as Sylvanas seemed unable to come up with a retort to Jaina's olive branch. The Warchief sighed heavily as Rapunzel bounced in place, and locked her glare on the princess. "That it does. I will take it under advisement for the Forsaken."

"That's so great!" Rapunzel declared, as if Corona and the Forsaken would somehow be the best of friends.

Cassandra looked less than enthused, staring at Sylvanas as though judging her and finding her wanting. But Elsa was familiar with her cousin's approach to life and knew she'd wear Sylvanas down with good cheer or die trying. And from everything she'd learned from Jaina and from meeting her, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing to attempt. But before they started divvying up lands, Elsa needed to know something. "As I understand it, both the Horde and Alliance are coalitions of disparate peoples, are they not?"

"Basically," Khadgar said. "Though a gross oversimplification."

"I get that, but bear with me here." Elsa looked between the gathered leaders. "Do you plan to keep your peoples together in one area, or will - " She gestured at the map. "Forsaken in Corona, your Tauren somewhere else, and so on?"

"On Azeroth," Alexstrasza said. "The homelands of each of the planet's races were spread far apart. But they remained united within their factions despite this."

"Like some kind of league of nations?" Anna asked, peering over her sister's shoulder at the map.

"A league…" Khadgar nodded. "I like that."

Elsa eyed Jaina's portals. "I suppose you have much better ways to communicate than we do."

"Everything is better with portals," Jaina said. Her hand twitched towards Elsa's arm, but she caught herself. That was going to be a conversation they needed to have, and soon, but Elsa wasn't going to push matters in a situation as delicate as this.

"The rest of the representatives will be arriving shortly," Elsa declared. "Until then, why don't you make a list of what unique needs your peoples have so that we can find the most suitable homes for them, without displacing anyone else in the process."

**❄️**

Beyond Rapunzel somehow managing to convince Sylvanas of the benefits of Corona, this first day had resulted in very little headway. Jaina still had a migraine from all the arguing and the posturing. It wasn't just the Azerothian representatives, most of the people on Earth were just as stubborn and it seemed like everyone was angling for the best possible solution for themselves alone. It was understandable, of course, but the only way any of this was going to work was through compromise.

Jaina put aside her notes for tomorrow and picked up the rolled up scroll that she'd been dreading looking at. It had been magically enchanted by Khadgar, and all she had to do was unroll it and think of the names she wanted to see. If a name showed up in black, it meant the person was alive and on Dalaran somewhere. Blue, missing. If it showed up in red…

Letting out a breath, she unrolled it and stared at the blank parchment. Names started to fill it as her mind shot in almost every direction it could. Vereesa Windrunner and her sons were in black, as was Alleria Windrunner. Go'el's name stared at her in bloody red, as did Malfurion Stormrage, and Genn Greymane.

There were many more names in red or blue than in black, and as she skimmed through them Jaina took a conscious effort not to look for her family, and for others from Kul Tiras that she was close to. She didn't want to know. If she didn't see their names in blue or red ink, then she didn't have to know that they were gone.

But unwanted, her eye caught it, the curve of a red K and she unwillingly followed the name as it spelled out _Katherine Proudmoore_. Above it in blue was Tandred, her brother.

Jaina's hands started to shake, and she dropped the scroll onto the desk before burying her face in her hands. Tears stung her eyes and burned her cheeks and it was so fucking _unfair_. At least before, she could have pretended they were okay, lived in ignorance of their fate and cut off from Azeroth.

But her family, and so many of her friends, were gone. The scroll couldn't even tell her how, or when or why. Their names just sat there in silent judgement on the enchanted parchment.

If she'd been there … if she hadn't been so foolish and angry…

A sob broke the silence in the room, and Jaina's throat clenched as she fought the storm that was threatening to breach all her defenses and spill out. But after that first sob came a keening sound and Jaina doubled over, hands in her hair.

She could count two times in the past two years that she'd been able to cry, and both of those had been after coming to Arendelle. But the last time she'd wept for herself; these tears were for her family and all that had been lost or destroyed while she'd been away.

Jaina was wracked by guilt and grief as she slid to the ground and curled up, sobbing like a lost child. And maybe, in a few key ways, she was. It didn't matter that she'd led armies, fought demons and worse; her family was _dead_, her people splintered and even her worst enemies had suffered unspeakable horrors.

She must have fallen asleep at some point, because she woke to find her head cushioned on warm, soft fabric, and a hand in her hair.

Elsa cupped her cheek, stroking her lip with her thumb. "Hey…"

"Hey," Jaina said, feeling like there was gravel in her throat and aching like she'd run a marathon. She made no attempt to sit up; Elsa's lap was too comforting a pillow. "When did you…?"

"I came to check on you, and found you on the ground," Elsa replied. "I … thought that maybe you needed to sleep through it a bit. That was a couple of hours ago."

"…You've been sitting here for hours?" At that, Jaina did try to sit up, but Elsa pushed her firmly back down.

"Talk to me," Elsa said, a request and not a command.

Jaina squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the ache behind them though she could find no more tears to cry. "I saw the casualty list. I wasn't … I wasn't _ready_ for that."

"No one is ready for that." Elsa's face was so kind, so understanding that Jaina felt an irrational anger at the sight.

But of _course_ Elsa would understand, and Jaina didn't reply until she was sure she wouldn't bite the Queen's head off. "A part of me had hoped, even if the odds weren't great. That out of millions, my mother or brother might have made it. That in the crowded chaos on Dalaran, they were there. But my mother is dead, and my brother is among the missing. Which at this point is as good as dead."

"I'm sorry." Elsa seemed like she was going to say something more, but she said nothing further. Jaina was grateful; the last thing she wanted to hear now was any kind of hope about Tandred.

This time, Elsa let Jaina sit up, and Jaina scooted until her back was to the bed, before she reached over and pulled Elsa into her arms. Holding her tight, Jaina pressed her face into Elsa's chest and inhaled her scent until she felt calm again.

Silently, Elsa stroked her hair, her shoulders, her back, letting Jaina work through her thoughts. But the silence started to bother Jaina, and she lifted her head. "You must have a million questions about the discussions today."

"You're supposed to be the go-between," Elsa pointed out. "Would this be a bias?"

"Maybe," she admitted, before cupping Elsa's face and kissing her lightly. "But I've lost too much in my life to want to let you go while you still want me."

Elsa kissed her back, deftly undoing Jaina's braid as she did so. She threaded her fingers through the silver and gold, untangling knots and smoothing the locks out, the fingers on her scalp almost better than sex. Elsa's mouth parted when Jaina did the same to her and Jaina flicked her tongue against Elsa's lower lip before nipping it lightly.

She pulled her head back, gazing into Elsa's eyes as her own brimmed over once again. "Do you think I can beg the Queen's presence in my bed tonight? I don't want to sleep alone."

"No," Elsa replied, smile soft and kind. "But you can share mine."


	9. Turn the Page

With all the excitement of recent weeks, Elsa had been neglecting one of her most important duties; that of dutiful aunt. She loved Iduna like she was her own daughter, and why shouldn't she? She was Anna's daughter, and anything that Anna might produce was something to be cherished.

And about as energetic. Even as a child, Elsa had never been able to keep up with Anna and Iduna was every inch her mother's daughter in that regard. While there were _some_ games Elsa would not risk playing, even now, she did have a strategy to tire Iduna out so they could share more intellectual pursuits.

Elsa crafted an icy playground in a back courtyard, carefully laying soft snow to cushion falls. With everything planned ahead of time, she reasoned, there was no need to worry about an ice bolt to the head or heart on accident.

There were slides and swings and a snowball fort, and Elsa transformed her gown into pants as she engaged Olaf and Iduna in an all out war. By the time Iduna claimed victory, _Elsa_ was the one that was worn out, collapsed on a wall of snow. She let out an 'oof' when Iduna plopped onto her, and wrapped her arms around her niece.

"I give!" She squeezed her, smiling tiredly. "Would you like to go inside and play a different kind of game?"

Iduna tilted her head, giving this some serious thought before she nodded and asked. "What kind of game?"

Elsa pushed herself up with a groan, lifting Iduna with her. "Jaina has been showing me a game she plays sometimes, and it's really fun."

Like sunshine, Iduna beamed, "Auntie Jaina game?"

"Yes," Elsa laughed, face coloring slightly. "Auntie Jaina game. It's called Hearthstone. There are these cards, you see, and they're enchanted so the pictures move!"

She set Iduna down in the Royal Office, letting her scurry about as she sat at her desk and pushed some books aside. By the time she had the decks settled, Iduna had wandered over and climbed into a seat to watch.

Elsa smiled at her, showing her some of the cards, the pictures animating as she moved the cards. On one, a dragon roared and flapped its wings, and Iduna looked delighted.

Deciding on a _modified_version of the rules Jaina had explained to her, Elsa set a deck for her niece. Iduna couldn't really count very high yet, so they were going to wing it.

Iduna crushed Elsa, with help of course, but the absolute joy on her face when that dragon devastated the board with a flying pass of magical fire and a tinny roar was more than worth it. They played a few more games, the matches boiling down to them throwing cards down and watching the magical effects happen. It was _almost_ as fun as the real games she'd played against Jaina. Jaina, who her mind kept going back to, and had been going back to all day.

Jaina was a complicated woman, with a complicated past, who often saw herself as some kind of monster. Needless to say, Elsa could _relate_. And she couldn't even be entirely sure that if the same sequence of events happened to her that she would have done much, if anything, different.

She'd like to think so. Elsa liked to think she'd be different. But if someone murdered Anna or Iduna, if someone destroyed Arendelle, if she'd been left alone and angry and driven half mad with grief? There was no telling what she'd do.

Elsa pushed those thoughts from her mind, preferring to think positive. About dimples when Jaina smiled, the smattering of freckles across her chest, the way she laughed and how bright her smile could be. The way she lost herself in research or work and her passion when explaining the things that excited her.

At how peaceful she looked when she slept, how the years and cares had slid away over the months. And Elsa was proud of her for letting go of the hatred she'd harbored for so long. She pressed her hand to her chest.

"Auntie?"

Elsa snapped out of and looked down at her niece. "I'm sorry I was … thinking."

Iduna smiled at her, and held out her arms for upsies. Elsa picked her up, propping her on her hip as she walked out of the library and nearly ran over Anna. She promptly handed the flailing girl over to her mother. "I was just going to look for you."

"You two have a good day?" Anna asked, hefting Iduna up and grinning at her as the girl wrapped her arms around her neck.

"The best!"

"Really?" Anna looked at Elsa and Elsa nodded.

"Oh yes, absolutely the best day. Good luck getting her to calm down."

"Gee, thanks. Oh hey, Jaina was looking for- and there she is." Anna glanced back down the hall as the mage approached, then gave her sister a _knowing_ look, before she rushed over to Jaina.

Whatever she said to her made Jaina's ears turn red. Elsa leaned her hip against the door, folding her arms as Jaina looked at Anna's retreating form, then back towards Elsa. Elsa simply raised an eyebrow expectantly, though she waited for her sister to be out of earshot before saying anything. "What did she say to you?"

"Nothing that can't wait until later." Jaina idly ran her fingertips up Elsa's arm, a welcome sensation that set her mind racing and her body humming.

Slowly, Elsa took Jaina's hand, pulling her inside. "So you were looking for me?"

Once she was inside the library, Jaina closed the doors and turned the lock. Almost as soon as she had, she had Elsa pinned against the door, lips locked on hers and hands pulling her hair free of its pins.

Oh. This was certainly a pleasant surprise.

They moved again, Elsa pushing Jaina towards a bookshelf, Jaina pulling her to the table, Elsa turning them around and pressing Jaina on top of a stack of books. Slowly, deliberately, Elsa pulled at the laces of Jaina's bodice, breaking the kiss so she could watch Jaina's breasts fall free.

She lifted her gaze to Jaina's eyes. "You're so beautiful."

When Jaina opened her mouth to protest, Elsa put her finger over her lips. "You're beautiful."

Jaina was so much more than beautiful and Elsa could write poetry about Jaina and all the things that she admired about her, but thought that maybe at times like this, what she'd said was what Jaina most needed to hear. That she was beautiful and wanted and desirable.

Stepping back from Jaina, Elsa let her dress drop, dispelling her magic as she did so. Jaina drank her in and it was Elsa's turn to feel beautiful and wanted and desirable. Elsa took only long enough to strip Jaina down the rest of the way before she was on her, hands roaming and caressing across bare, freckled skin.

Jaina's fingers, long and nimble and calloused from weaving spells and writing reports, stroked up and down Elsa's back, then to her sides and, predictably, her hips. The touch lingered there, burning Elsa in a pleasant way.

Elsa kissed Jaina's throat, then bit lightly there. Jaina's fingers dug into her hips as her lover tilted her head back with a groan. Jaina was warm beneath her, her skin comforting in its texture and softness and Jaina's reaction to the bite made Elsa feel more aggressive. She left a trail of teeth marks from Jaina's throat to her chest, hand grasping at Jaina's right breast as Elsa nipped at the left. A low whine vibrated through Jaina's throat and she dragged her nails up Elsa's spine to tangle her fingers in her hair.

A light tugging made Elsa moan Jaina's name, and Jaina tugged again, and pressed her head against her breast, insistent and needy. Elsa obliged, flicking her tongue across the nipple, circling it before sucking it into her mouth. She continued to use her tongue to compliment the suction, mirroring the action with her thumb on the other breast. Jaina shuddered underneath her, holding Elsa's head against her breast, Elsa's name echoing through the library as she writhed underneath Elsa.

Elsa slid her free hand down Jaina's body, stroking at her thigh and the tendon where leg and pelvis joined; and there she stopped, looking up at Jaina with a teasing smile on her lips.

Jaina whined, staring at Elsa with desperate need and again Elsa obliged, tracing her fingers around and across Jaina's folds, enjoying the slick warmth almost as much as she enjoyed the sound Jaina made when she did so.

It was a reckless thing, to be so heedless of where they were, but Elsa scarcely cared, turning her head to nip and bite at Jaina's throat and her breasts. She explored her with a finger, and as their times before, marveled at how good and _right_ it felt to have this woman respond to her, their skin melded together and the soft, low gasp as she drew Jaina towards the edge of the abyss.

"Jaina," Elsa breathed, sinking to her knees, pulling her legs up and over her shoulders, wearing her like a necklace. Words caught in her throat, traitorous words that she muffled against Jaina's skin, Jaina's fingers digging into Elsa's hair as Elsa pressed her tongue against her clit.

Jaina shuddered, her hips jerking. Elsa pushed her thoughts away, pushed away the unexpected ache in her chest, focusing instead on the movements of her tongue and her fingers and the ragged, breathy moans of her lover.

Elsa could feel the pressure of Jaina's thighs, and the way her muscles tensed and twitched, tightening around her head, just before Jaina clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle herself. Jaina's hips twisted involuntarily as she came, wrenching Elsa's neck enough to send a spasm of pain through her. She pulled away, gasping and seeing stars.

"Elsa?" Jaina pushed herself up, knocking over a stack of books as she did so. "What's wrong, are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Elsa waved one hand, rubbing her neck with the other and not quite hiding her grimace.

"Oh gods…" Jaina pulled Elsa up, "I'm so sorry, baby."

"It's fine," Elsa repeated, suddenly struck with how _funny_ the situation was, even as she flushed at being called a pet name like that. It was a giggle at first, before turning into a full out laugh interrupted by an exclamation of pain every time her neck twinged.

Jaina stared at her for a moment, still clearly worried, though she smiled as Elsa laughed. "I can't tell if I should be embarrassed or you should be proud of yourself."

"Proud," Elsa gasped, resting her face in Jaina's chest, though her shoulders still shook. "Very, very proud."

**❄️**

Baine Bloodhoof was, well, huge. Anna found herself staring up at him with a mixture of awe and … awe. This was a _real life Minotaur_! She'd read so many stories growing up but had always loved mythology. Stories of Greek heroes and Egyptian gods, Atlantis and even some old tales from far to the East.

The Minotaur was sitting awkwardly at one of the long tables in the kitchens, chatting with the Queen of Gilnaes and one of those tall purple-blue long-eared women that made Anna question a lot of assumptions she'd had about her sexuality.

She'd been trying to figure out how to politely join them in their conversation with Iduna reached up from Anna's arms and grabbed onto one of Baine's horns.

"Oh! I'm so sorry about that!"

Baine sat very still, though he smiled. "It's all right." He tilted his head, making the girl swing as he did so, and she squealed in delight.

Anna didn't know why she was so surprised. Maybe because she hadn't thought someone with a bull's head could be so expressive. It was a kind face and she liked it. "She's uhm. Very curious and excitable and probably has more questions than I do so I'm sorry ahead of time."

At least Elsa wasn't around to tease her about having a daughter just like herself.

"She's adorable," Tess Greymane said, with all the air of someone who found kids charming as long as she never had any of her own. "And I think we'll be happy to answer most questions."

Anna wanted to know about the Tauren and the Worgen and the Elves and so much more, but didn't know where to _start_. She got the impression they deserved more than what their positions within the Horde and Alliance might suggest. "Fair warning, I chatted Miss Whisperwind's ear off last night."

The Night Elf snorted at that, watching the girl curiously as Iduna swung up and climbed onto the horn, before scrambling to find purchase on Baine's head. Her voice was melodic, though slightly higher pitched than the High Priestess's. "I understand your world has magic. Your sister is evidence enough of that. But are you aware of other kinds of magic? Nature based, perhaps?"

"Uh … not that I've ever heard of? You might want to ask the Trolls. Our trolls I mean, little round rock people. Why?"

Still watching Iduna, the Elf shrugged. "Just curious." She waved her hand, and vines grew from the floor, winding up and around each other until they formed something like a beanstalk. Iduna stared wide-eyed, then jumped onto the vines, which twisted around until they formed a kind of perch for the girl to observe everyone from.

"Okaaaay then." Anna eyed the beanstalk, eyes darting up to her daughter and then the ground as she had vivid memories of her own misadventures climbing tall things she wasn't supposed to when she was Iduna's age.

But Iduna was content to lounge up there, so Anna turned one eye back onto the others. "How did you do that?"

"I'm a Druid. My name is Manadh." Manadh leaned back, admiring her handiwork. "Druids are … guardians of nature, I suppose. We protect the land and the animals that live on it and try to ensure that there is balance."

"Like if the wolf populations are too low there are too many deer and all the plants are kinda screwed?" Anna asked.

Manadh raised her eyebrow. "Sometimes yes, actually."

Once again Anna had about three million two-hundred and forty-three thousand questions. Give or take a dozen. But to her credit she snapped her mouth shut before it all came out in a flood.

"Go ahead," Manadh said, amused.

"Can anyone be a druid? Is it just elves? Is it related to the werewolf thing? What about Jaina's magic is it anything like that? What other kinds of magics are there? I mean she kind of explained some things to Elsa but I wasn't paying attention when Elsa was talking about it but that's totally my fault I get that." Anna took a breath.

"Anyone can be a druid," Baine interjected. "Though they would need to already have an attunement to nature to even begin."

"Druidism is most common among my people and the Tauren," Manadh explained. "But Trolls and Worgen are also strong with nature. Druidism is also practiced among Jaina's people, though it's not quite the same thing."

Tess cut off a laugh. "We'd be here all night explaining the werewolf thing."

"I've got time," Anna said, smiling at them. Whatever it was about them, she _liked_ these strange people. And maybe she could sort of help Elsa out by taking on some responsibility.

Ambassador Anna.

She kind of liked the sound of that.

**❄️**

How a single person could be so _cheerful_ was absolutely baffling to Sylvanas. No, no, it was absolutely _batshit insane._ And yet here she was in the company of the very definition of relentless sunshine.

Her fingers itched to yank on that long golden hair, and Sylvanas was quite pleased with herself for ignoring the urge. It would be bad for diplomacy, after all.

Plus it would make Proudmoore even more of a smug bitch than she already was. Sylvanas's gaze fell onto the Lord Admiral, the red points of her eyes narrowing as she studied her. Before she could really suss out where Jaina's eyes were pointed, Rapunzel bumped into her.

"Woops, sorry!" Soulful green eyes looked up at her. "Do you always just stand there like this, brooding?"

"I am not brooding."

"You totally are. I'm an expert in brooding." Rapunzel shifted to stand next to Sylvanas, mimicking her pose and giving a rather accurate version of the expression on Sylvanas's face.

Oddly charmed, Sylvanas inclined her head. "So perhaps brooding is my natural state."

She felt eyes on her. That woman that had come with Rapunzel, the one with an obvious attraction to her. Something easy enough to exploit, though when she looked, Cassandra diverted her eyes. Much to Sylvanas's cold delight, Cassandra averted her eyes in the general direction of Alexstrasza and remained staring at her.

Rapunzel, evidently, seemed to notice where her bodyguard's gaze was pointing. "Is that like … a thing?"

"What?"

"Dragons not wearing pants."

Something strange, unusual and perhaps a little frightening for a number of people happened. Sylvanas threw her head back and laughed. It was a loud, deep laugh, something approaching a cackle. She finished with a soft snort, red pin point eyes darting up and down Rapunzel's form. "Does it offend you, girl?"

"Oh! No, I mean there are a lot of cultures on earth that … uh … don't wear much." Rapunzel straightened her shoulders, a flush rising to her cheeks. Embarrassment, yet also a reminder of life, hot blood rushing beneath the surface.

Sylvanas couldn't remember what that felt like and had no particular inclination to try. She found herself leaning in a little too close, hearing the rush of Rapunzel's blood as her pulse spiked. "It is not useful for war. Too easy to lose a limb, or have one's guts spilled out onto the grass. But it _is_ nice to look at."

Rapunzel stared at her with wide, emerald eyes. "…I guess?"

That pulse sped up further when Sylvanas bared her sharp, fanged teeth. "I could kit you out in something, though it might better suit the boudoir than the battlefield."

She was having entirely too much fun, and as she straightened she caught the dagger glare Cassandra was now casting in her direction. Sylvanas ignored her, calling out. "Proudmoore! I would like to see the status of the new Dwarf mining town in the Southern Mountains. And I'm rather curious why the mines nearer to Arendelle remain closed."

"Something about the hidden folk, I'll ask the Queen … But she was very insistent on the matter." Jaina said, almost absently, before she walked over. Her unease standing next to Sylvanas was palpable and only made Sylvanas's day better.

As she called up a portal, Sylvanas remarked casually. "You know, you have been positively glowing, Lord Admiral. Even if I do say you looked much better with my arrow in your back."

Sometimes she just liked to live dangerously.


	10. New Dawns

Sylvanas unnerved Elsa. Or, to quote her sister, she was _freaky_. It wasn't the red eyes, or the deathly pale skin, or the way her voice echoed. It wasn't just even the way all of that combined into something that made her skin crawl.

It was the way Sylvanas held herself. Still as death. Perfectly still, her eyes taking in everything and her posture and expression giving nothing away beyond cold calculation.

And that calculation was focused on her with increasing frequency and interest, as Elsa leaned over the map table now emblazoned with a dozen new flags. Orc and Tauren, Kaldorei and Gnome. There was even a place deep in the woods claimed by something called the Cenarion Circle. Pabbie had been quite happy to welcome them.

She tapped her finger along the mountains, and the particular one that held the old mines. Sylvanas stopped her pacing around the table behind Elsa, too close, but not touching. It was almost intimate, the way she leaned over her.

"You still have not told us why those mines are off limits."

"A pre-existing agreement with those who live within," was the only answer Elsa was willing to give. "They value their privacy, and I will not be responsible if anyone disappears into the volcanic vents down there."

"How … specific a threat," Sylvanas purred. "You might have teeth yet, little Queen."

Elsa didn't take the bait, though she really, really wanted to. There was just something about Sylvanas that was infuriating and she understood why Jaina couldn't always be in the same room as her.

Her lack of an answer didn't dissuade the Warchief. "Interesting."

Sighing, Elsa turned around and peered up at her. "Does the Horde not understand personal space?"

"I can _smell_ her on you. Oh, not as well as certain others might. A pity Greymane is dead, I'd love to see the look on that mongrel's face."

Against her will, her heart sped up and Elsa did _not_ like the idea that there were people who could _smell_ what she got up to with Jaina. For god's sake she'd _bathed_.

Evidently, Sylvanas could read minds and/or hear her speeding heart, because a smile spread across her face and she leaned in a little closer. It was like the woman knew _exactly_ what triggers to pry at. "I pray for your sake that Proudmoore has more talent in that area than the mediocre lovers she's had in the past. And for her sake that you can rise to the occasion."

"Jaina does not need me to defend her in these matters," Elsa snapped, her eyes flashing as ice crept up Sylvanas's legs, locking her in place. She stepped past her, giving herself several feet of distance in order to calm her anxious heart.

"_Private_ matters. I am more than willing to discuss welcoming the Horde within Arendelle's borders, or even setting a game of chess with you, as Jaina suggested. But what Jaina and I get up to when we are alone is no one's business but our own."

She kept herself perfectly still, so that Windrunner couldn't see her shaking, couldn't see the anxiety and fear and a dozen old emotional wounds her proximity and words almost reopened. Showing weakness in front of another leader was the last thing she wanted to do and to show weakness in front of Syvlanas felt like it could be a legitimate disaster.

Sylvanas chuckled. Her body became mist for the second it took to move out of the ice locks. "I've seen men wet themselves over less. I'll see you first thing tomorrow morning, and let us find out how different our versions of chess are."

Elsa inclined her head in agreement, and did not take her eyes off of Sylvanas until the Warchief was gone. Then she backed up until her legs found a chair and she sat down heavily. Closing her eyes, Elsa leaned over, taking slow, careful breaths. She'd been tested, she thought, and she didn't much like it.

"Are you okay?"

Startled, Elsa looked around for the source of the voice, spying Jaina standing in one of the side doorways that led towards the personal chambers. She rubbed her chest. "I'm … no, not really. The Warchief is … intense."

Jaina's eyes narrowed, and she stepped inside, her staff tapping on the floor as she walked. "What did she _do_."

"Tested me, I think. I'm pretty sure I passed, but…" Elsa met Jaina's eyes. "Don't you go starting anything. You _promised_."

It looked like Jaina was going to argue the point, but instead she let her shoulders sag. "You know, I missed all the diplomacy, but it's still … Windrunner has harmed so many people. But while I can't bring myself to trust her intentions, about the only thing that you _can_ count on about her that's a _positive_ is her dedication to the Forsaken. She'll play nice, if only to ensure they have a stab at survival. But that doesn't make it easier for me to accept just seeing her walk around like nothing in the past matters."

"The past is complicated. It matters in some ways, and in others it doesn't. You can't forget what happened, only try to move on from it."

"Easier for some than others."

"No one won that war." Elsa stood, finally feeling like her legs would hold her up again, and walked down the short steps to Jaina's side. She slid her hand along her arm and rested it on a bicep, rubbing her thumb there. "And no one will win the next war if you try to fight it. There'll be more suffering, more death, and another world destroyed."

"I keep telling myself that," Jaina said, jaw tense. "And then I close my eyes, and I see seas red with blood. I smell the smoke of Teldrassil, and I wasn't even _there_. I can't _imagine_ how Tyrande feels…"

It didn't seem to matter how much progress Jaina made. It was impossible to entirely forget. Elsa wasn't sure she would like the person who could easily forget. "What about the anger? You told me once it felt hollow."

"It still does, though now that they're all here I can remember what it feels like a little clearer but…" Jaina tapped her chest. "I can't tell you if it's the actual emotions or the memory of them."

"She certainly makes you angry enough."

"That's new anger," Jaina said. She wrapped an arm around Elsa's waist, though stopped herself from leaning in closer. Elsa was grateful for that; the throne room in the late afternoon was not the appropriate place for that sort of thing.

Even if she found herself blushing just a little at the thought. Maybe _other_ times...

"I can handle her on my own," she pointed out.

"I know, and that's for the best. Earning Sylvanas's respect can go a long way towards keeping the peace. She … respected Anduin's father a great deal, but has never found that respect for Anduin himself. If Varian had lived maybe things might have been different."

"Thank you," Elsa replied. She didn't need protection, though she appreciated the sentiment. Carefully, so as not to give Jaina the wrong impression, she pulled away.

Jaina let her go, catching her hand just long enough to plant a kiss on her knuckles. "Would you join me for dinner later?"

"Of course. Oh! That reminds me. I've been having the thought that we need to have a full, formal dinner this weekend."

Jaina immediately stiffened. "Dinner?"

Elsa found herself smiling at Jaina's reaction. "Yes. Horde and Alliance leadership, along with myself and representatives from other kingdoms. At least those still in Arendelle."

"You … want me to have dinner … with Sylvanas."

Jaina looked so pained that Elsa was torn between amusement and pity. She supposed change came slow, when it came at all.

"I think it will be good for all of us."

"You're right, of course." Jaina exhaled, then squared her shoulders. "Just … please don't sit me across from Sylvanas?"

**❄️**

Much to Jaina's relief, Elsa didn't sit her across from Sylvanas. Mostly. Anduin, as primary leader of the Alliance, got to suffer that fate, while Jaina sat next to him and across from Baine, who she at least liked.

The Queen had briefly considered alternating people before choosing to dedicate one side to each faction and alternate Earth representatives, a fact that made Jaina extremely grateful.

It was better to face each other than not, anyway. In the intervening days, she'd come to a small amount of peace over the idea, mostly because it upset her that her initial reaction had been so _harsh_.

She'd hoped that she'd let that hatred and anger die with Azeroth, but apparently, it wasn't quite so simple or easy.

Princess Rapunzel was seated to Sylvanas's right, and next to her was a Goblin, and then Thalyssra. Across from the First Arcanist was Tyrande, a choice that Jaina couldn't say was good or bad; she'd been gone so long from their perspective and a great deal had changed. So much so that she didn't always know where anyone stood with anyone else.

Elsa and Anna sat at one end, and Khadgar at the other, with the others seated in such a fashion that made it clear that Elsa had paid attention to how the varied leaders interacted. Tyrande was as far from Sylvanas as possible without disrespecting her position within the Alliance, as an example.

Anna leaned in and whispered something to Elsa that Jaina caught only part of. Something about 'where's the roast beef?' Jaina glanced quickly at Baine then shot Anna a pointed look and prayed neither he nor Sylvanas had overheard that.

Judging by the smile on the Warchief's face though… "Well well well, isn't this nice?"

"Yes, it's quite nice," Jaina agreed, hoping to avoid any conversations about _cattle_. It was generally considered rude at best to talk about cows around Tauren. "How have your plans gone for the Forsaken, Warchief?"

"We have chosen sites for two settlements in Corona," Sylvanas explained, her food and drink completely untouched. "New Deathknell will be a small research outpost in the northern forests, but most of my people will be to the south, assisting with border control and … the bee situation." Her eyes locked on Anduin's. "Planning for Blighton and Plagueholm is going splendidly and I am confident our new _alliance_ will only benefit all involved."

Anduin inhaled a piece of chicken and started choking as Jaina's wine went down the wrong pipe.

Rapunzel was beaming. "It's great! You're being all … creative and taking ownership of your new home!"

As Jaina recovered, Tyrande calmly reached over and smacked Anduin on the back to dislodge the chicken in his throat.

Sylvanas inclined her head towards Rapunzel. "Indeed. I have some of my best working on it. They're already laid the framework for the Sunnyside Inn."

This time, Jaina wasn't trying to drink. She pinched the bridge of her nose at almost the same time as Anduin, and counted backwards from ten. "I'm sorry. the _Sunnyside Inn_?"

"You took my suggestion!"

It was really hard to deny the sheer light emanating from the Princess, and if Jaina didn't know any better she'd suspect even Sylvanas was affected. "It's … a lovely suggestion, Princess."

"I was thinking like Dawn, or New Hope for the city, or The Unnamed Goose for an inn if not Sunnyside, but Blighton has a nice ring to it, right?"

Jaina felt a migraine blossom in her temple. "I…"

Sylvanas was looking right at her, her lips curved _just so_ as if she were _daring_ her to make a comment.

And … Okay. Jaina was willing to try to set aside the things that had led to so much war and suffering. She was _trying_. But that didn't mean she had to _like_ the Banshee or even get along with her. So she smiled politely and finished. "I'm partial to Dawn, but the Forsaken have a certain _enthusiastic_ aesthetic and I'm the last person to suggest they be anything else than what they are."

She got an incline of Sylvanas's head from that, and no snide remarks, so Jaina considered that a small win.

"Why don't we use that?" Anna set down her fork. "The agreements and treaties. They don't have a formal name or anything. So what about the New Dawn Accords?"

Sylvanas looked pained, so naturally Jaina jumped on it immediately. "I have no objections."

The dinner went quickly after that, with no real incident beyond the occasional differences in manners. It seemed, Jaina had discovered, that royal dinners were much the same everywhere in the universe.

Most of the attendees returned to Dalaran, or took offered portals to the locales that would become their new homes. Tyrande and Anduin were the last to leave, and Tyrande requested to be sent to a continent across the ocean, in the hopes of scouting alternate sites for the Kaldorei. Jaina didn't think she needed to be reminded that there might be people there, first.

She found Anduin in one of the hallways, leaning against a window and staring at the pristinely fallen snow. She didn't say anything, merely took a position next to him, happy to see the boy she'd looked at like a nephew, grown into a man. A pensive one, at any rate. Finally, quiety, she asked. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Anduin's smile didn't reach his eyes. "I ... was in Stormwind, the day the world ended. We were fielding reports of Void incursions all across the Eastern Kingdoms. Tendrils ripped through the Keep and Old God minions tore most of the guards apart. Genn, he…"

His throat bobbed, and he closed his eyes, seemingly lost in the memory. "He shoved me through a portal. Tried to send Mia through but she wouldn't have it. She stayed by his side. The last I saw of them both was them fending off the attackers as the roof collapsed."

"Anduin…" She put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"I keep asking myself what it was all for. We lost so many. First you, then Malfurion. Then others, against the Horde and the Void both. I can't even make the distinction anymore. They're all just _gone_."

So many of their friends were gone. Even people who'd been their enemies. Jaina might be relieved that, say, Nathanos Blightcaller had not made it, but it still felt wrong somehow. Like nothing had gone how it was supposed to. She remembered a book she'd read once, where it became clear the author had grown bored because a lot of rocks fell and everyone died.

Slowly, she pulled Anduin into her arms, hugging him as she might once have many years ago, before, when he'd been a boy trying to escape the pressure from his father by hiding out in her study. "We're all going to have to figure out a new balance. I've learned I have to let _go_ of the way I felt, of the negative emotions that guided my hand before and during the war. There's no place for that here. I'm afraid I've upended an already delicate balance on this world and if we let the peace break down…"

Elsa was powerful, this was true. But so were many denizens of Azeroth. Magic users and skilled fighters, beings who could command the very elements to do their bidding. It would be so easy to be conquerors, Horde and Alliance both.

Even _accidental_ ones.

"This world is less prepared for us than we were for the First War," Anduin mused, turning his face and inhaling Jaina's familiar scent. She felt his grip tighten, and for just a moment they were back in her study, in her tower in Theramore.

Jaina had always wanted children, but that dream had burned with the city of Stratholme. Anduin had been the next best thing. "That's why we have to help protect it, from ourselves."

Anduin pulled away, though not after several more moments. He studied Jaina thoughtfully. "You and the Queen seem close."

"We've had a lot of time to get to know one another. I've been helping her understand her magic, and through her learning a few things about my own." She kept her voice carefully neutral, and hoped the warmth on her face wasn't giving her away.

"That doesn't explain the secret looks you give each other when you don't think anyone is looking," Anduin pointed out, the shadows that had occupied his eyes lifting as he clearly focused on teasing his auntie.

"You've seen - I mean, we don't give each other secret looks!"

"Jaina, it's okay." He grinned at her. "Really okay. She's beautiful, and seems very intelligent and kind. You could do far worse, and truly deserve happiness."

Jaina nodded slowly, too afraid to admit that if, assuming all had been well on Azeroth, she might just have chosen to stay in Arendelle. "Are you going to stay the night, or would you like me to portal you to Dalaran?"

"I think I'll take a guest room tonight. I wanted to talk to the Queen about something and it would be easier than leaving and coming back."

"I think Kai was still in the dining hall, let's find him and get this arranged for you." Jaina fell into step with Anduin, clasping her hands behind her back as they fell into a companionable silence.


	11. More Alike Than Not

Elsa found that she really, really liked the King of Stormwind. He was a number of years younger than her, and until recently the only thing she really knew about him was what Jaina had told her, and that it was obvious the two were close.

Someone else might have been jealous, but it reminded her too much of her own relationship with her sister for any thoughts of that nature to cross her mind.

If anything, she might be a little jealous of Anna's burgeoning friendships with Baine Bloodhoof, Tyrande Whisperwind and Queen Greymane. Elsa had always had a harder time connecting with people; while Anna's natural enthusiasm and upbeat nature made it easy for her, Elsa often preferred the company of her own thoughts or one or two very trusted people. It was something she knew she needed to work on, even just a little bit.

Hence why she'd invited Anduin to lunch. Jaina had told her he was interested in speaking with her, so she thought it might work out for the both of them.

"Ambassador Khatri should be arriving in a few days, he'll join us and a few others to help figure out how best to integrate humans from your world onto Earth."

"And the other Alliance races, I hope." Anduin hesitated, before adding. "And the Horde, though I can't speak for them."

"The Warchief has already made some arrangements," Elsa replied. "Corona will only be able to handle so much, and the Tauren in particular will need a lot of room. I've sent a messenger to the United States in the hopes of opening up negotiations. They have a lot of space, particularly in the central and western parts of that continent, though there are people there first that would need to be negotiated with separately… I mean, we can't just _steal_ their land."

"I agree, and I know for a fact Baine will be against anything that takes land unwillingly, or otherwise tricks or forces people to give it up. Most of the nations on Azeroth have been both victims and perpetrators and if we are to start over, we don't want to make the same mistakes."

"On that note," Elsa said, almost delicately despite the revulsion that turned in her gut at the subject. It was something that was going to come up eventually. "There's another matter, with regards to diplomacy with certain nations. While it has never been the case in Arendelle or our allies, there is a barbaric practice in some parts of the world of enslaving other human beings. The past few decades have seen the practice abolished in an increasingly larger and larger number of countries, but the United States in particular is a … hold out. It's one of the reasons we don't trade with them."

It was a gross oversimplification and Elsa knew it could be decades before the world could hope to even begin to wash the stain away. But she was optimistic, or at least hopeful.

Thankfully, Anduin seemed as disgusted as she was. "Slavery has been a factor on Azeroth too, usually hard labor or war camps, and I'm ashamed to say it was a practice performed by both sides at various points, usually on each other. We once held Orcs in camps, after they nearly destroyed us. It's been a constant cycle of hatred and it destroyed our world."

"You have a second chance, to make things better. For yourselves, and even for us." Earth was going to go through a seismic shift in the political landscape and there was bound to be rough spots and conflict. And maybe in that process the world would come out a better place.

"A tricky thing is making homes for ourselves without displacing anyone else. It's wonderful for Arendelle and other countries to let us in, but I know I would like to maintain a capital of some kind."

"I understand." Elsa pushed back from the table, and gestured for Anduin to follow her. "There will be many of your people who would prefer to maintain some amount of familiarity. I'm afraid that no matter what, there will be some hurt feelings during all of this."

She stopped outside the library. "Do you like to read?"

"I do, yes."

Grinning, Elsa pushed the doors open. "Then you're welcome to come in here, if you want to find something to peruse over, or learn more about our history, or even to escape."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Anduin's smile matched her own. "I'll talk to Baine. I have a few ideas on how to approach the _problem_ you brought up. Where to exert pressure. Might bring Tyrande into the discussion as well, from what I've seen the northwest looks like good landscape for the Kaldorei and both she and Baine would have insight."

"Jaina said she is leading a scouting party, so I think they're well ahead of you."

Anduin's smile faded somewhat, and she could almost see the smoke in his eyes. "Good. I hope it's suitable and a fair agreement can be made with the local peoples."

**❄️**

"Okay, it's not time to panic just yet." Anna hurried through the castle yards, occasionally stopping and peering around. "It's not that easy for a little girl to get lost here. Okay I mean, I got lost _all_ the time at that age, in these very grounds, but they always _found_ me."

It didn't make it any easier though, and she suddenly had a lot more sympathy for her mother when it came to 'daughter-suddenly-gone-missing', especially with snow falling lightly.

A giggle made her come up short, and she peered around a wall to see Iduna sitting on a bench, hair dusted from the snowfall, watching with her best concentration face as a figure kneeling in front of her showed her something.

The figure was one of the Night Elves, wearing worn but comfortable looking leather pants with red highlights and a loose fitting top. Her hair was a pretty shade of purple, tied in a twin tail. "Okay, are you ready?"

"Yeah!"

"Now, exactly like I showed you, press here, and here."

Iduna leaned forward. Anna couldn't see what they were doing, but a moment later her daughter squealed with delight, jumping up as something ran out between the Elf's legs and started to bounce around in circles. It looked like a squirrel, but was metallic, its chittering having a faint echo and grind of gears to it.

Anna couldn't help it and gasped, "Oh wow!"

The elf jumped, then glanced back with a smile. "Oh, hey there!"

"What is that? Are you an inventor?"

"Kind of, but this isn't my design." She held out her hand while Iduna alternately chased the mechanical squirrel and was chased by it. "I'm Yukale."

"Anna. I'm her mother. And kind of the Princess here."

"Nice to meet you." Yukale lifted her foot as the squirrel and then girl rushed past, a wide grin on her face.

She was really, really gorgeous, with skin an unusual shade of pink and reddish-purple claw-like tattoos on each side of her face, over her glowing blue eyes. Her lips were actually kind of distracting and Anna shook herself out of it, realized that top was dashingly unbuttoned and decided her lips were safer to look at. "I hope she didn't bother you too much. I swear her father was supposed to be watching her today."

"Don't mind at all. I was just waiting for someone and found her trying to climb the castle walls."

Anna's eyes widened. "How far did she get?!"

Yukale laughed. "About three feet but not for lack of trying."

"Sounds familiar." Kristoff's voice startled Anna, and she turned around to give him a glare. "What's that supposed to mean."

"North mountain. She tried to climb it. Got about three feet."

She pursed her lips and smacked him in the arm. "Well you let your daughter try to climb the castle walls!"

"Your daughter is sneaky," he complained, reaching down and swooping her up and onto his shoulders in one smooth movement.

"She kind of does get that from me," Anna admitted, leaning against Kristoff. He slipped an arm around her and suddenly everything was warm and fuzzy. Sure, Yukale, like Tyrande and the other Night Elves was … distracting, but she wasn't _Kristoff_.

"She can keep the squirrel," Yukale said, stretching her arms over her head and really? _Really_?

Anna steadfastly looked into the middle distance instead of those abs. "Thank you."

"You might not want to thank me yet, it'll probably keep her excitable all day."

"You mean, her natural state of being?" Kristoff's grin matched the Elf's in sheer beaming power. Why did she have the feeling those two would get along really well and … to be entirely fair the three of them would be causing Elsa lots of problems.

That could be arranged, actually. "You can come by any time you like, you know. Especially if you want to babysit."

"I'd like that," Yukale booped Iduna in the nose, then glanced over Kristoff's shoulder and her face lit up.

Anna turned around to see another Night Elf, this one with leaf-colored hair in a pony tail and no markings. Her eyes were golden and she had a deeper voice than Yukale, "Okay, so I leave you alone for twenty minutes and you make friends."

"What can I say, I've got a charming personality." Yukale stepped into the woman's arms with an easy familiarity that made Anna's heart soar. Yukale leaned her head on her shoulder and said. "Princesses Anna and Iduna and…?"

"Kristoff."

"Kristoff, thank you."

"Royal Ice Deliverer...person."

"Kristoff, the Royal Ice Deliverer." Yukale gestured at the green-haired Kaldorei. "Kiska, druid of the keeping up with my antics."

Kiska nodded at them, her arm slipping around Yukale's waist and tossing off a casual one-armed salute. "A pleasure."

It was amazing, Anna thought, that they'd made it through to Arendelle together. She knew so many people had lost loved ones; it was likely that these two had lost more than they'd saved.

But they were here together, and there was a shared sort of mischief in their glowing eyes that made Anna think they'd all get along wonderfully.

Kiska teased Yukale about Iduna as they wandered off, leaving Anna alone with Kristoff and her daughter. She leaned her head on his shoulder and smiled. "They remind me a little bit of Ada and Tuva Diaz, only like, really tall and purple."

She turned her head to look at him, then kissed him. "I love love. You know?"

He smiled softly. "I know. That reminds me. I caught Cassandra staring at that dragon with no pants."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I was thinking you could maybe give her a nudge."

Anna squinted at him. "Kristoff Bjorgman, are you seriously suggesting I play matchmaker?"

"I think it would make Rapunzel happy and I already know you've noticed and so I figure I'd get ahead of the game rather than try to fight the idea."

"Valid points," Anna agreed, grabbing Kristoff's hand. "I knew there was a reason I married you."

"I thought it was my charm. And Sven."

She rolled her eyes and smiled. "Maybe just one of those."

**❄️**

As Queen, Elsa had already met Baine Bloodhoof and others from Azeroth, but that was as _Queen_. She wanted to get to know these people as people, like she'd done with Jaina, like she was trying to do with Anduin. Like she'd try to do with Sylvanas if the Warchief would stop being so creepy.

She was intensely curious about Baine, and asked her sister to introduce them. Not as leaders but as people.

She could have invited him to tea, but the thought of the large minotaur sitting in a chair trying to drink from a little cup was, while amusing, also kind of mean, and she didn't want to do that to him.

Instead, it was hot chocolate in the comfy room where she so often played games with her family, with the fireplace roaring to keep them warm. She hoped it would make Baine feel a little comfortable.

She had a sketch pad open on her lap, her mug on the table next to her, listening as Baine described Thunder Bluff to her and carefully drawing it. The sadness in his voice broke her heart, and she looked up at him. "You don't have to, you know."

"It's all right. As long as we continue to talk about it, it will exist."

"Stories passed down through the generations are an important part of any peoples." Elsa turned the pad around to show him her sketches. While she'd … probably spent too much time on the _fascinating_ elevator mechanism, she hoped she'd gotten the spirit of Thunder Bluff onto paper, if not its exact likeness.

Baine leaned over, studying the sketches, and he started to nod, before wiping at his eyes. "That's it. That's home."

There were places on Earth, all over, with plateaus and big skies. While they might not be _home_, maybe they could be the next best thing, and some day … become home, too. "I used to … sit in the library, reading books and sketching the things I'd read. Especially buildings and cities. I'm not so sure about the landscaping. I'm better at math."

"You've captured the vistas beautifully," Baine pointed out, gently. "Thank you."

"Here." She carefully pulled the sketches out and folded them, before offering them to him.

He stared at her for a moment, then at the paper, before gingerly taking it from her, and holding it against his chest. "I can see what Jaina sees in you?"

"Oh?" Elsa didn't really want to _hide_ their relationship, though she wasn't inclined to talk too much about it or showcase it in public, particularly during all the royal and formal functions. But she was curious.

"The detail in the elevator mechanism," He said, grinning.

**❄️**

As people from Azeroth began to settle, Jaina found herself relaxing. Each day brought new challenges and new discoveries, and she allowed herself to _enjoy_ it all. Being with Elsa, seeing Anduin and Baine again, reconnecting with champions who'd fought alongside and helped her over the years.

There were … precious few of those who were left. Most heroes on both factions had perished and according to the ones she spoke to, the vast majority of them had given their lives to get as many people to safety as possible.

Defenders of Azeroth, until the very end.

That had sparked an idea. Oh, Jaina had a lot of ideas, ways to help make the transitions smoother, a number of suggestions that she knew would grate on Sylvanas in particular but would still be accepted. She was enjoying the diplomacy.

This idea was something that she knew would have no objections. A memorial for the fallen. For the fallen heroes, for their fallen friends, for the fallen common folk.

Someone knocked, and she set aside her plans for the memorial and looked up to see Khadgar in the doorway. He was only about ten years her senior, but with his grey hair and beard he looked much, much older. He'd never gone into much detail with her about what had caused his magical premature aging, but it wasn't really her place to pry, "Hey! What brings you to my neck of the woods."

He smiled at her, stepping inside and closing the door, before taking in her office. It was a room about half the size of Elsa's, filled to the brim with books and paintings, diagrams and scrolls and an assortment of instruments.

It was reminiscent of her room in the Mage Tower in Theramore, a fact she'd only recently realized. That the thought didn't cause her pain was a sign of growth.

"I like the decor. Spending all that time with the Queen has its upsides, but you're always welcome to use your old office in Dalaran."

"Thank you," she replied, ignoring the teasing about her girlfriend. "I'd like to keep it up, but I feel comfortable here."

"You do seem more grounded…" Khadgar looked in her direction, more through her than at her. He was the most powerful mage on the planet, though she wasn't too far behind him.

"I had a lot of time to think, and cool down. It was like being able to step outside of my life and peer in and see the kind of person I'd become." She tapped her fingers on the desk. "And I didn't like what I saw."

"So you made changes."

"With some help," she admitted.

"We're social creatures. Ultimately, the change must come from us, but it doesn't hurt to have friends to help us along."

Jaina snorted, then pushed a schematic towards him. "Speaking of change, I've been giving some thought to what to do about Dalaran. It comes down to you and the council, but I had a few ideas."

Khadgar picked up the paper and inspected it. "It could work. The real question is whether or not we really want to float her again. Or if we even can."

"The idea of a floating city became a source of inspiration on Azeroth. Maybe we can make it one here on Earth too. Expand on it."

He tapped his finger on one corner. "Airship … transportation or just artistic license?"

"Be a great way to get people around, as long as its unarmed."

Chuckling, Khadgar rolled the diagrams up and slipped them into his sleeve. "I was going to take a walk through Arendelle. Join me?"

"Of course!"

It was hard to believe that the gates had once been locked up. People came and went and it was actually kind of a security nightmare to Jaina. But that was an Azeroth mindset, not an Arendelle one. To Elsa, everyone was welcome.

"Very subtle." Khadgar said, as they passed out the gates.

"Pardon?"

He eyed her. "The enchantments."

"Some habits die hard, and just because something doesn't usually happen doesn't mean it couldn't. Anyway, it's only active at night, and is an early warning system. In an emergency, either Elsa or myself could shield the castle, and the city."

A city which was bustling. Besides the international trade that had been increasing before Jaina had arrived, there was trade from the people of Azeroth. There was even some degree of cooperation; Tauren trappers working with locals, a Kaldorei druid in the flower shop, Dwarven blacksmiths sharing techniques at the smithy.

But where there was cooperation, there was also conflict. In the town square she could hear the commotion, people hoving and some shouting. Jaina and Khadgar pushed their way through the crowd and the sight at once turned Jaina's blood to ice while simultaneously sparking her fury.

In a tale as old as time, an Orc and a Human grappled with each other. Neither were armed; Queen's edict. But they were both burly types, the Orc a deep shade of green as she tried to tip the human male over.

Honestly, the no weapons edict wasn't as effective as it could be. Most orcs were weapons all by themselves even before one got into shamanisn or magic, as were many humans, especially those who'd survived the end of the world.

"What the hell is going on?"

"I think they're flirtin'."

She glanced down at a Forsaken woman with reddish blonde hair, somewhat less decomposed than many of her compatriots, standing next to one of Sylvanas's Dark Rangers. "Flirting?"

She shrugged. "Dunno, just got here, but it looks like flirtin' to me."

The Ranger beside her scowled. Like most of her kind, she had glowing red eyes and ashen skin, as well as the long, pointed ears of the Sin'dorei. "You are never flirting with me like that, Tyra."

"Hey baby, whatever it takes to get me some nookie."

Conversations she did not _ever_ want to hear included that one in particular. "Either way, we've got to put a stop to this."

Tyra snapped her head up at her, eyes wide. "Y'know I wasn't sure I wanted t'believe it but, holy shit. That really came outta your mouth!"

She elbowed the Ranger. "Hey Kalira, Proudmoore's back on her peace kick."

"Finally."

Jaina rubbed her temple. "Yes, I'm back on my peace kick but it won't be for very long at this rate."

The sound of fist impacting flesh interrupted them. "Oh gods. Help me break them up."

Both of them looked at her like she'd grown two heads, and she sighed. "Okay I concede the wisdom of not getting between those two. We have _got_ to get relocation moving a bit faster..."

"Aye, no shit?"

Behind her, Khagdar stifled a laugh and she provided him with a rude gesture in return. Then she strode forward, amplifying her voice with her magic until it boomed. "_ENOUGH!_"

The human had the orc in a headlock, but Jaina's command didn't really do anything. The orc managed to twist out of his grasp, grabbing him by the leg and throwing him. He careened towards the flower shop until Jaina cast a spell. Just before he could crash in through the window, a water elemental reared up and caught him.

Two more grabbed the orc by the arms and held her firmly still. "But he started it!"

"I don't care who started it!" Jaina put herself between them, though she let the elementals dissipate. "We're here as guests of these people. They've opened their hearths to us in our time of need and they deserve better than for us to be brawling in the streets!"

To their credit, both looked a little sheepish, and some of the other Azerothians did as well. Jaina blew air out of her nose. "This is what 's going to happen. You two-" And she pointed at the two troublemakers, "Are going to work together on something with Khadgar. I don't know what. I don't _care_ what. That's entirely up to the Archmage."

The human looked crestfallen and the orc wasn't much more enthusiastic.

Khadgar rubbed his hands together. "This is perfect. I'm in need of some reagents, a very large and very specific number, in fact…"

It was exactly what they deserved. Jaina wondered what had spurred this, but she had been truthful. She didn't really care as long as it stopped. Taking a breath, and feeling remarkably better as Khadgar gave his orders, she took a glance around. Now that the excitement had ended, people were returning to what they'd been doing before the fight had broken out.

An unexplained chill ran down her spine, but she couldn't place it. After a moment's concentration, she decided she was just being paranoid.

As she walked away, she couldn't help but overhear, no matter how badly she didn't want to, Tyra say, "I really want that ice bitch to smack me in the face with her braid."

"Jaina? Or the Queen?" Kalira asked.

"Yes."

_**(The very lovely Kiska courtesy a friend from the long ago vanilla wow days! And readers have met her before if they've read Last Resort ;) I figured Yukale and Kiska deserved one universe where they got to stay together.)**_


	12. Of Murlocs and Flowers

A murloc was a curious creature. A kind of fishman, Elsa thought. She was fascinated by the concept and more than happy to assist Dalaran in locating a home for them. There were a number of places that would be suitable, but Elsa had some concerns.

"Are you sure they would survive the cold?" She eyed the dozen or so Murlocs wandering a few yards ahead of them. The snow didn't seem to bother them much, but she had no idea what kind of fish they were supposed to be.

"Oh it's fine." The pale dark-haired mage accompanying her and Baine gave her a reassuring smile, before pointing her staff towards the Murlocs. "They're adaptable and there was a population in an area of Northrend with a similar climate to Arendelle, only, uh, year-round." She tilted her head. "You know, I'm not entirely sure how? I've seen murlocs introduced to different climates and they always seem to adapt, without question, whether it's warm, or cold! As long as there's water they can thrive. I'm actually thinking once they've established a population we could probably relocate some to other areas of the world willing to have them…"

Elsa was amused by how chatty she was. It reminded her of her sister. "Do they have any natural predators, Lissibeth?" While Elsa was wearing a thin, fur lined gown, Lissibeth was dressed in a thick robe and had her hood up against the elements.

Lissibeth nodded enthusiastically. "You mean, besides humans and other sentients? Yeah! Bears and wolves, just about any apex predator can develop a taste for them."

Baine squinted up one eye. "People have been known to make armor and clothing from their hides."

"Out of those?!" Elsa was horrified.

She couldn't believe that anyone would hunt a creature like that; not only were they adorable they also seemed to be _intelligent_. It was no different to her than hunting one of the trolls or the little folk. Or Sven, even.

Baine at least, seemed a little contrite. "There are, or were, many creatures on Azeroth of some intelligence. Even the beasts were often so. To survive, one had to look past that, at times. My people, and the Kaldorei, did what we could to honor their sacrifice for us. Other races … do not have such traditions."

"I see." Elsa looked at the Murlocs. It was true that the people of Arendelle did need to hunt and fish to survive the harsh winters. Perhaps they could learn a few things from the Tauren and Night Elves. "I think, as long as they live within my borders, that the Murloc shall be a protected species."

"We will respect that."

Elsa nodded. She would, of course, apply a little pressure to other kingdoms to do the same. Even if the Murlocs _weren't_ intelligent, they were endangered. Too few of them to survive if people hunted what were left.

One of the Murlocs tripped over a rock and tumbled down the hill, making a godawful, garbled sound. It crashed into a tree. Maybe they weren't _that_ intelligent…

The rock shifted and bounced up to reveal one of the trolls. He looked at them curiously, then spied Elsa and hobbled over to her. "Your Majesty!"

To their credit, Lissibeth and Baine did not seem remotely phased by a talking rock. Elsa couldn't really blame them for that, considering all she'd learned of their world. A talking rock was probably not that unusual in the grand scheme of things, though Lissibeth looked like she was about to boil over with excitement.

"Hello." Smiling, she knelt to greet him. "I'm sorry for intruding, is Pabbie available? We have some… guests and I wanted to talk to him about them."

She pointed at the Murlocs, the troll blinking twice before following the direction of her finger with his eyes. "He just woke up from a nap, I'll go get him!"

As he rolled off, Elsa stood. "And that … is an Arendelle Troll."

"If only Vol'jin were alive," Baine murmured. "He'd get a _kick_ out of this."

"Are they actually made of stone?" Lissibeth bounced on her heels in a manner that was almost undignified. "How many of them are there? Are they native to Arendelle or did they migrate here? They're clearly magical, I can sense it, but I can't tell if it's some kind of elemental magic or life magic, I'd have to ask a Druid and Shaman to be sure. Do you think they'd be interested in being studied? It wouldn't hurt them and we'd come here to do it, it could be an information exchange and—"

"Archmage." Baine gently rested a hand on her shoulder. "Reign it in a little. There will be plenty of time for that."

"We value knowledge too," Elsa assured her, smiling at her enthusiasm as she made a mental note to introduce her to Anna. "It's something we can discuss another time, once we've settled matters for the Murlocs."

"Right, of course." Lissibeth smiled sheepishly. Her head jerked up as the sound of pebbles and boulders grew louder. "That's … them right? We're not about to be buried in an avalanche?"

"That's them."

Baine And Lissibeth watched in fascination as several large trolls and a half-dozen smaller ones rolled around them and the Murlocs. Ten pairs of eyes blinked in unison.

Pabbie, the leader of the Trolls, smiled kindly up at Elsa. "You wished to discuss the subject of guests?"

"Good morning." Elsa swept her hands towards the Murlocs, and several more trolls rolled over to circle them. "Pabbie, this is Baine Bloodhoof, leader of the Tauren and Lady Lissibeth, a member of Dalaran's Council of Seven."

"A pleasure." Lissibeth bowed.

One of the Murlocs leaned over and murgled at a troll, "Mrrglglrr glrlrg?"

The troll raised her eyebrows and turned towards Pabbie. "Can we keep them?"

"Now now, they are guests, not pets."

Elsa nodded in agreement. "They are refugees. They came from the city that fell out of the sky. Most of their kind are gone, but they are creatures of nature and not suited to live among bigger folks like us. I was hoping you could help us find them a home. A river or lake, or a shoreline in one of the fjords."

"Are there others like them?" Pabbie asked, curiously and a little knowingly.

"Yes… Kind of. Gnolls and Kobolds, these little creatures that really like candles. We will try to find homes for them, though the latter will have to be relocated elsewhere."

"Why?"

Elsa smiled. "They have an affinity for mines and I'm afraid of them intruding."

"Ah, yes." Pabbie nodded in understanding. "Though I can show you some caverns that might be suitable, not just for them, but for your own mineral needs."

"That would be most gracious."

"What about the Murlocs?" Lissibeth tore her eyes from the moss-covered troll to watch as three young tadpoles clambered up another troll in what appeared to be a game of king of the hill."

Pabbie chuckled. "We'll take care of them, don't you worry."

"Ideally," Baine said. "Once their population is stabilized, we'd like to introduce them to a few other areas, to increase their chance of survival."

"Yes, yes, that's a very good idea. But for now, leave them in our care and we shall ensure they are protected. There's a little lake, nestled in a valley some miles away. I think it shall be a perfect refuge."

"Thank you." Pleased, Elsa turned towards the others. "I think we should head back. We still have to figure out possible locations for the Gnolls and Troggs, and I wanted to talk to the High Priestess about her plans for her Nightsabers."

Introducing a population of predators like that concerned Elsa, but just from some of what Baine had said she thought that Tyrande might be aware of impacts on ecosystems and local human populations.

Not for the first time, she was grateful for the learning from her parents and tutors, as well as the castle's well kept library. A thought niggled at her; she'd visited Dalaran's library, and learned it was open to all the people.

Arendelle could certainly stand to copy that idea.

"I think I'll stay a little while," Lissibeth said. "If they'd have me and would be okay with all my questions. I can portal you both back to Dalaran and save you the trip."

Pabbie nodded. "I don't mind at all."

**❄️**

Once in Dalaran, Elsa took a moment to study the growing number of portals. She didn't know who, but one of the Council members had set about creating permanent portals between various lands and Dalaran. She wondered how she could get one in the castle between Arendelle and Corona in particular. She'd have to ask Jaina or one of the other mages.

Dalaran was a lot emptier than it had been a few short weeks ago. Most refugees were camping on shore or shacked up with willing homeowners and many had already traveled elsewhere on Earth.

As she left the portal chamber, she admired the architecture of the violet tower. Khadgar had kindly allowed her to view the blueprints, and while she didn't understand all the arcane workings of its construction, they had seemed sound, structural wise.

The streets were clean now, cleared of the refuse and blood that had clogged them with so many people crammed into the city. Magic, she assumed. They used it so casually, as a tool. Sometimes she wondered if there might not be some kind of side-effect to that. Another question to file away for later.

For now, she parted ways with Baine, passing a group of beings that Jaina had called Naga, and made her way to the library to get in a little light reading…

**❄️**

Surprisingly, Corona seemed to be an ideal fit for the Forsaken. Jaina wasn't exactly sure _how_. It seemed too … sunny. Too idyllic. But their little towns were already starting to draw trade and many had taken to the work with the bee keepers pretty easily.

It still _looked_ wrong. She eyed Sylvanas, wondering if she also felt that strange disconnect between Azeroth and Earth, before turning her gaze to the fields of flowers and the rows of beehives.

The land itself was managed by two women. Both were in the fields today, one hair the color of the sun and the other dark as night. The latter was showing a pair of forsaken how to access the beehives.

"You don't trust me, do you."

Sylvanas's voice was a low whisper in her ear, and Jaina fought down the chill in her spine. "When you give me reason to, that will change." It pained her, but she admitted. "So far, this is a good effort."

"Maybe I'm the one that should not be trusting you."

Jaina turned her head, looking into shining red eyes. "Much has changed, Warchief."

"Indeed. It's amazing what a nice roll about can do for a person. She seems to have removed that stick in your—"

"I understand the Sin'dorei are establishing a town farther east." Jaina's jaw tightened, but she chose to not start a fight, which, all things considered, she was pretty proud of herself over.

"I have made arrangements for the defense of Corona. The Sin'dorei volunteered after testing the area for latent magic. It shall suit them nicely."

"It is … my understanding that, on the Horde side, Silvermoon and Orgrimmar took the brunt of the initial assault from N'zoth." Jaina's throat bobbed. "I am sorry."

"Death came on a massive scale." Sylvanas acknowledged. "All that came before seems … almost petty, in comparison."

"I'm sure Tyrande would agree," Jaina responded.

"There is little choice, for any of us. We get along, or we repeat our mistakes. We are few enough in number that the … old calculations are irrelevant."

"Hey guys!" A cheery voice startled Jaina, and she turned to see Rapunzel running towards them, hair braided back and laced with hundreds of flowers. "So what do you think?"

"It's really lovely. And I'll be honest, I never expected the Forsaken to get along so well."

"Much has changed," Sylvanas murmured, her eyes locked onto Rapunzel.

Rapunzel hadn't come alone. She was joined by her bodyguard, Cassandra, and Vereesa Windrunner. Jaina immediately pounced on Vereesa, wrapping her in a tight hug, then letting her go while Rapunzel beamed at them. "Sorry."

She just hadn't had much of a chance to talk to her friend since they'd all arrived in Arendelle.

"I get it, you're forever grateful I'm alive." Vereesa grinned at her, though her expression faltered a little when she noticed her sister. "Sylvanas."

"Sister."

Cassandra looked between them. "I'm not sure I can tell the family resemblance."

"Vereesa was the baby," Sylvanas said, smirking at her sister. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"Cassandra and Rapunzel have been showing me around."

Sylvanas narrowed her eyes. "...Why?"

"She's going to be spending more time here, isn't that wonderful?" Rapunzel bounced up and down and grabbed Sylvanas's arm.

This did not lead to immediate death or dismemberment, much to Jaina's surprise. If anything, Sylvanas had a long suffering look on her face. "Oh. That is just splendid."

"I'll be helping out with the Sin'dorei settlement," Vereesa said. "It's … time I came home to my people."

For half a heartbeat, Jaina almost thought Sylvanas was going to _hug_ her sister. Thankfully, that didn't happen, for that would have surely meant the Earth was doomed. Instead, Sylvanas inclined her head to her sister. "Very well."

Cassandra touched Vereesa by the elbow, a motion that did not go unnoticed by either Jaina or Sylvanas. "You wanted to see the river, didn't you?"

"I did."

There was a knowing, mischievous glint in Rapunzel's eyes. "Why don't you two go ahead, I wanted to chat a little with the Warchief."

Shooting Sylvanas a distrustful look, Cass nodded. "All right, Raps."

Rapunzel waved, and waited until they were out of earshot. "Aren't they adorable together?"

"I'm sorry?" Jaina started.

"Cass and Vereesa! They don't even know it yet, but that? Is gonna happen. And I'm gonna make that happen."

"_Hah_!"

Jaina rubbed her hand down her face at Sylvanas's exclamation. "And here I thought Cassandra was enraptured by Alexstraza."

"While Alexstrasza has been many a woman's awakening, you and I both know Cassandra did not stand a chance with her."

Unfortunately, Sylvanas was right. Jaina sighed. "I am going to return to Arendelle. Would you like a portal?"

"No, thank you. I think I'll stay here awhile longer."

Jaina glanced at Rapunzel for a moment, then nodded and teleported herself home.

**❄️**

"You two don't get along, do you."

Sylvanas stared at where the mage had been standing just a moment ago, before acknowledging the princess. "The two of us have history."

"I know it's … not easy to get over things. I mean, I can't imagine even half the things you've gone through. Well, I can, but I can't. If that makes sense."

"It does." Sylvanas plucked a flower from Rapnuzel's hair, inspecting it. _History_. As if twenty years could be summed up in a single word. She'd met Jaina once, before she'd died, before Arthas and the Third War had changed _everything_. She'd been cutely naive then, a trait that had continued onward, until Garrosh had leveled Theramore. "We've tried to kill each other a half dozen times."

And yet, while she enjoyed taunting her, Syvlanas felt strangely at peace here. Perhaps there was something to be said about this world. Forever paranoid, yes, but if she dropped her guard enough, she might feel that peace.

Studying her, Rapunzel leaned closer and started to place flowers into Sylvanas's hair. "I've been meaning to ask you. Aren't you already like … dead?"

A smile curved at the corner of her lips. "Yes, I am quite deceased."

"You look pretty good for being dead," Rapunzel teased, pressing against Sylvanas's arm. Naive was perhaps not a strong enough word for this girl, but she was warm enough to burn.

Still, Sylvanas saw no reason to push her away, flowers or no flowers.

"Do I?" She asked, threading her fingers into Rapunzel's silky hair. Rapunzel stiffened, clearly warring with herself over something Sylvanas wasn't privy to. So she tugged. She tugged and Rapunzel tilted her head back, throat exposed, mouth open. Red eyes focused on Rapunzel's throat, on the rapidly pulsing life there, her other hand sliding around to Rapunzel's hip. She enjoyed toying with her prey. Her eyes flicked to Rapunzel's lips and she almost purred. "You have done a great deal for my people. Perhaps I can … repay you, in some measure."

Rapunzel trembled, perhaps in fear. What Sylvanas was certain of was that if it was fear, it wasn't of _her_. She lifted her eyes back to Rapunzel's and slowly, almost gently, she loosened her grip in Rapunzel's hair.

The Princess looked confused and conflicted. Rapunzel's voice was thick. "You … you don't have to do anything. I wanted to help."

Sylvanas put her hand on Rapunzel's back, almost in an effort to be reassuring, and wondered who'd hurt her. "Consider the offer open."

"I uhm." She frowned, reaching up and checking her hair. "You ruined my braid!"

"I'm not sorry," She replied, hoping to mask that sudden uncharacteristic concern.

"Of course you aren't." Rapunzel grabbed Sylvanas's hand and started to drag her. Somewhat amused at how flustered Rapunzel seemed to be, Sylvanas allowed this.

"Anger suits you."

"Now you're just making fun of me." Rapunzel glowered, before she shoved Sylvanas down to the ground and sat down in front of her.

"Do you really expect me to _fix_ it?" Something a little like discomfort settled in Sylvanas's stomach.

"I thought we could talk." Rapunzel looked over her shoulder, concern etched into her face. She was shrewder than she let on, and again Sylvanas wondered who had hurt her.

But she found herself reaching for that gorgeous, golden hair before she caught herself. Irritated, she got to her feet. "I'm done here. Everything is going smoothly."

"What?"

But Sylvanas didn't allow herself to hear, storming away with flowers still in her hair.


	13. On the Edge of the Abyss

According to the reading Jaina had done prior to joining this little trip, Tamrac was a desert kingdom south and east of the continent that held Arendelle and Corona, along with a number of other countries. They'd recently come out of a civil war, which said a lot about their new Sultana that she was willing to open her land. Either she was kind, or simply thought they could stimulate trade. Or perhaps both.

Jaina was joined by Lady Liadrin of the Blood Elves and Tess Greymane and Lorna Crowley of the Worgen, along with Kurn Skullblade, the most recent person to lead the Orcs. He was tall and broad, like most orcs, with an impressive array of muscles under his leather tunic.

Liadrin and Kurn had brokered a sort of coalition, primarily consisting of Humans, Orcs, Trolls, Blood Elves and Draenei, who were willing to brave the harsh desert heat and attempt to settle in a valley west of Tamrac's capital. While most of the Blood Elves were content to settle in Corona, Liadrin had found a number who'd wanted more of a challenge, and were willing to bring their magic to bear to help.

"Water will be at a premium," Liadrin noted, peering over Jaina's shoulder at her notes. "But the valley houses an oasis and an underground spring."

"It won't be a hardship on the people of Tamrac?"

"They have no settlers in that area. The distance to the capital is too great for easy trade under normal circumstances."

Jaina smiled. "A journey of weeks on horse or camel back, through the hard desert. Or a few days by _airship_. And if you were to take Tamracian cargo elsewhere…"

"It's a good deal. Arendelle has close access to Dalaran, and will likely gain air travel soon enough." Liadrin grinned. "Tamrac did not wish to be left behind and were more than willing to negotiate a fair deal."

"You sound like a goblin." Kurn strode over, excitement writ across his features. "But you're right. Ain't gonna lie, we fought hard for this chance. Might take us a few months to get everything settled but once we do…"

Orcs and humans living side by side … Jaina never thought she'd see the day.

Tamrac was a bit warmer than Arendelle, which made sense since it was closer to the equator (actually, a lot of things made more sense on Earth than Azeroth and Jaina remembered one poor mage who'd spent a month straight on her climate and currents dissertation).

It was still nippy, but not above freezing. Hard to imagine in a few months the temperatures would rival those of Tanaris.

Most of the travelers would be coming on a hastily built airship, or over land in a convoy, but mages were already portalling the first workers to get the settlement ready.

Jaina's party was greeted by the Sultana's younger sister, a woman with dark brown skin and her hair tucked under a red and yellow scarf. Her eyes were a deep brown, almost black. The princess placed her hand over her chest. She looked at each of them in turn, though her eyes lingered on Lady Liadrin, "Welcome to Tamrac. I am Princess Shada. The Sultana is presently occupied. She wished for me to help make you comfortable so that we can celebrate our new partnership."

Jaina bowed her head, and then pointed out each of her companions. "This is Kurn Skullblade, Chieftain of the Orcs, Lady Liadrin, the Regent Lord of Quel'Thelas, and Queen Tess Greymane of Gilneas and her betrothed Lady Lorna Crowley. And I am Jaina Proudmoore, ambassador of Azeroth and a number of titles we can worry about later."

Shada laughed, eyes twinkling with delight. "Ah, well, I'll warn my sister, she will be relieved to not have to recite her titles as well. We might be there all night if she does."

Oh, Jaina liked them already.

"I wanted to thank you for all that Tamrac has done for us," Liadrin said.

"I uhm…" Shada stammered a little before recovering. "It is the least we can do. We have the room, and you have offered us aid of your own. Would you like a tour of the palace?"

"Think we can get a tour of your city, Miss Princess?" Kurn affected a toothy smile. "It looks real nice from here."

"It is a beautiful view," Jaina agreed, turning and glancing out over the city. The palace was half built into the mountain overlooking the city, and the city itself stretched on for miles and miles of roads and markets and buildings. There was an area near the center that held a number of high spires that reminded Jaina of Dalaran, though the color of the stone and brick was predominantly red, rather than violet and blue.

"It will take many days to explore the city," Shada said. "And even then we could not hope to see all of it."

"But I am sure that you know at least one area of interest," Liadrin guessed, leaning in like they were discussing a conspiracy. "Or am I wrong?"

"I have _never_, not once, snuck out into the city when I was supposed to be studying," Shada said, in exactly the type of tone that told Jaina she'd done so, and frequently.

"It is a family tradition, going back many centuries to a Princess from another land," A voice said. "One of her granddaughters married one of Tamrac's sultans, you see."

Jaina turned to see a stunning woman, dressed in a flowery red robe lined with golden thread, her black hair uncovered. The resemblance to Shada was obvious, with the same brown skin and shape of her nose, though her eyes were a number of shades lighter. Jaina bowed her head. "Sultana Hala, it's good to finally meet you."

"The pleasure is mine." She took Jaina's hands and squeezed, her eyes twinkling. "Queen Elsa has told us about you."

"She … she has?" Jaina looked mildly alarmed. She remembered reading something about Arendelle helping with Tamrac's recovery but hadn't realized that Elsa might be friends with the Sultana and her sister.

"Nothing too scandalous I assure you."

"You have _no_ idea how much I wish to hear more," Tess said, unable to hide her grin. "But we should save the gossip for later."

Gods, but she wanted to sink into the ground. Face heated, Jaina gestured for everyone to head inside and shot tess a dirty look. "Yes, yes, there's no need for gossip."

Lorna apparently disagreed. "There's always time for gossip."

"Shada?" Hala called out.

Shada tore her eyes from the golden glow of Liadrin's. "What? I mean, yes, sister?"

"It is my understanding that every one but Lady Proudmoore will be staying a few days. I'll see to it that the Queen and her fiancé are taken care of by our very best, but would you please take Lady Liadrin to her guest chambers?"

"Of course." Shada's tone was gracious, but her expression was the kind that usually meant one sister was going to kill the other later. "And Chieftain Skullblade?"

The Sultana's eyes slid up and down the muscular orc as she answered. "Oh, I shall take care of him _personally._"

"_Lok'tar Ogar_," Kurn murmured, eyeing the Sultana in kind.

Lorna covered a snicker with a very elaborate and fake cough, and Jaina looked down at her feet and thanked any god listening that Sylvanas hadn't joined them. "I believe celebrations were in order?"

"Yes, indeed." Hala slowly turned to lead the way. "We'll meet in the grand hall once you've all settled in."

Shada was as red as her pretty head scarf, and somehow went redder when Liadrin offered her her arm. But she took it, and Jaina didn't bother to hide her smile.

It didn't take everyone very long to settle in; Jaina got the feeling they were all hungry and could unpack later. She was the first to arrive in the grand hall, with Lady Liadrin arriving shortly after her, conversing with Shada in a low, deep voice. Shada seemed to be hanging on to every word.

Between the Sultana and Kurn tearing each other's clothing off via their eyes alone, Shada enraptured by the Lady Liadrin, and Tess and Lorna being … Tess and Lorna, the dinner and celebrations turned out to be extremely entertaining.

Their drinks were sweet though not intoxicating, but the company was surprisingly good.

Even Kurn, who Jaina started to like as the evening wore on.

Jaina excused herself after Kurn and Hala disappeared to, presumably, _actually_ rip each other's clothing off. She couldn't really blame either of them; the Sultana was absolutely breathtaking in both beauty and intelligence, and Kurn was the kind of man that reminded Jaina that she was actually attracted to Orcs.

Before she could teleport, Shada rushed over. "Lady Proudmoore. If you could deliver a message to me to Queen Elsa?"

"Of course!"

Shada smiled in relief. "It's personal, but I think this way is quicker. I would ask my sister if she has anything but…" Embarrassment colored her cheeks.

"Naturally." Jaina couldn't stop herself as she spoke next, as enraptured with Elsa as Shada had been with Liadrin. "I intend to see her as soon as I return."

"Mmhm." Shada held out an envelope.

As Jaina took it, she lowered her voice to just below the hearing of any blood elf in the next room. "Liadrin is intelligent and insightful. She is also a skilled warrior, but she has a soft spot for storytelling. You would not go amiss with teaching her to read your language."

"Thank you." This time the embarrassment on her cheeks was entirely for herself.

**❄️**

There was so much paperwork on Elsa's desk. _So_ much. She'd barely had time to spend with her family, she craved more contact with Jaina, and there was _so much paperwork_. Some of it was even floating around, undoubtedly some kind of communique from Dalaran.

Yet a part of her enjoyed it. She'd always been good at this part of her duties as Queen. Even if the stacks on her desk were positively overwhelming to look at right now.

She groaned, rolling her shoulders and sinking back into the well cushioned chair, and tried to remember where everyone was… Anna and Kristoff had been eager to join Tyrande on a scouting expedition in the Pacific Northwest and had taken a linguist with them… Jaina was in Tamrac…

Elsa picked up a paper and looked it over. Something about Goblins working with industrialists in England and the United States. They were having more luck in the former than the latter, but she wasn't surprised. There was a small stack of letters from the US that she'd been putting off.

Sighing, she reached for one and opened it. It was signed by the Secretary of State, one William L. Marcy. The language was curt and Elsa tossed it into the reject pile, leaning her elbows on the desk and burying her face with another sigh. Dealing with that country was like having a fingernail removed, and Arendelle, while prosperous and a growing trade hub, seemed to be too small to be important, especially with her firm commitment to neutrality.

There were other, possibly more _positive_ missives from Zaria and Eldora, and though she'd not received any replies from Denmark or Genovia yet she was hopeful.

"Okay, Elsa, you can get through this." She straightened, ignoring the twinge in her back, and started to go through the papers, making notes on what she wanted to say or do for most, and occasionally writing an immediate response if something seemed urgent.

"You really need to consider hiring someone to filter some of this," Jaina said, startling Elsa out of her work. She looked up to see Jaina skimming a request for irrigation from the farm lands. "I used magic, I admit, to filter everything into several categories; immediate response, urgent, important, and several degrees of priority below that."

"I…" Elsa craned her neck to see Jaina as the taller woman became obscured by the piles of paper. "I could never ask anyone to do this. As Queen, I need to be informed of everything and on everything."

"I'm not saying have someone do your job for you. Just help you organize." Jaina peeked her head from behind one stack. "I actually like your cataloguing system, but I'm just suggesting either automate it or have someone do it for you, so you can spend more time actually doing the important work."

Elsa pouted, "I like paperwork."

"So do I." Jaina slipped around behind Elsa's chair and rested her hands on her shoulders. She squeezed, and Elsa about melted.

"Oh…"

"See, once I implemented an automagical sorting system I started liking paperwork even more." Somehow, Jaina made that sound sexy.

Her thumb pressed into a knot in Elsa's back that made her corresponding leg tingle. Elsa's eyes fluttered shut and she bit back a moan. Jaina continued to press and rub at her back and shoulders, sending all thoughts of paperwork from her mind.

She could probably do with a break anyway. Jaina seemed to have the same idea; her lips brushed Elsa's right ear, and then she nuzzled at her neck as Elsa tilted her head to the left.

Her sigh this time was languid and happy, "Mmm… So this is your dastardly plan. Distract me from my work."

"Is there anything urgent enough that can't wait for tomorrow?" One of Jaina's hands slid down Elsa's chest, rubbing in a circle at the center.

"You're in a mood…" Did she have anything urgent? Didn't Jaina have to tell her about how it went in Tamrac? Before she could think any further on it, Jaina's hands cupped her breasts, stroking them through her dress. Any thoughts but finally touching Jaina again were quickly extinguished. She twisted around, trying to kiss Jaina, squirming in her chair.

Jaina pulled her up to her feet, hands massaging her breasts before moving to disrobe her. Elsa tilted her head back as Jaina nibbled at her throat and her skin was exposed to air warmed by the fireplace. "…here?"

As if in response, Jaina pushed Elsa back against the desk, then swept the carefully collated and stacked paperwork off of it. She froze, a mixture of self-chastisement and horror on her face as what she'd just done sank in.

Elsa gripped the desk tightly, shoulders shaking as she tried to hold in the laughter. But it was no use; it burst out of her and Jaina gave her a slightly insulted look before she cracked a smile and started to laugh too.

"You're going to have to deal with that later," Elsa said, even as she tangled her fingers in Jaina's robe to pull her closer.

**❄️**

There was paper everywhere. It fluttered around, covering the floor and Elsa's chair, spreading as far as the closed door.

Jaina couldn't believe she'd done that. And while it was funny, it was also _horrible_! All that paperwork, ruined!

"You're going to have to deal with that later." Elsa's voice cut through her shock, reminding her of where she was and who she was with and how Elsa apparently hadn't been wearing anything under her dress. She was pulled in, and immediately kissed her.

There were still papers on the desk, scattered pens and quills and a tipped over inkwell but, for once in her life, Jaina made herself not _care_. It took several seconds too long to get out of her robes without breaking the kiss, but somehow, she managed.

Her hands found Elsa's hips, and Elsa hooked a leg around her to keep her close. The surprising warmth of her body sent little jolts wherever their skin touched.

Jaina picked Elsa up and set her down on the desk, feeling a strange little thrill at the sight. Elsa was already flushed, her hair come loose, and the desk… She trailed her nails down Elsa's legs, than back up the insides of her thighs.

Elsa shivered, though she quirked a brow as if to ask why Jaina was taking so long.

"I'm thinking…" Jaina stroked Elsa's pelvis and stomach, trailing circles around her breast and then up across her throat and shoulder.

Breathless, Elsa asked, "About what?"

"Something I want to try with you some time. Maybe not here… Well, not the first time anyway." An unwanted thought crossed Jaina's mind; none of her lovers had ever taken her across her desk, and it made her a little _angry_. But she pushed the thought firmly away, preferring to focus on the woman in front of her.

She leaned down, lips on Elsa's, then on Elsa's jaw, and her neck, before she nosed a breast and flicked her tongue at her nipple.

Elsa started to make a questioning sound, though it turned into a needy whine instead.

The thought was at once embarrassing and arousing as Jaina thought of some of the magical tricks she'd used, up in her tower on lonely nights. But she didn't answer Elsa, too busy giving all her attention to that nipple as her hands moved lazily across Elsa's skin.

"Wait … what did you want to try?" Elsa managed to get the words out, squirming as she did so.

"I used to … enchant…" Jaina couldn't quite bring herself to say it out loud. Elsa cupped her face and lifted her head, wrapping her legs around Jaina's waist to keep her from escaping.

"Talk to me, sweetheart."

Jaina felt her heart flip and twist in six different directions. "Objects. Toys. So I didn't have to use my hands."

"Oh." Elsa wet her lips, and Jaina could practically see her imagining it. It seemed to make her hot and nervous all at the same time which was alluring in ways Jaina didn't really have the time to think about. She let go of Jaina's face, running her hands down her sides and then gripping her hips and digging her fingers in.

"We … don't exactly have anything and I wouldn't begin to know where to look here." Jaina squinted up one eye, remembering there was a shop in Dalaran and _gods_ was she not going to show her face in there if she could help it.

"If you had something," Elsa said. "You could use your magic to do what exactly?"

"You're really going to make me say it?"

"I'm really going to make you say it." Despite the purr in her voice, Elsa's face was a bright red.

At least that made two of them.

"Well…" Slowly, Jaina moved her finger along Elsa's thigh, and slid it between her legs. She watched closely as Elsa shuddered, the fingers at her hips gripping hard enough to bruise. Then she rocked her hips, pushing her own hand against Elsa and her finger inside her.

"S-say it," Elsa gasped. "I want you to tell me what you're going to do to me."

"Gods I love when you get assertive…" She rocked her hips again, repeating her move as Elsa whined her name.

"I wouldn't need my hand here, I could hold you or pin you down to this desk."

"And then what?" Elsa said, holding Jaina's gaze and making her wonder who was actually in control right now.

Jaina's voice was breezier than she would have liked, lost as she was in that ocean of blue. "Fuck you with the toy until you beg me to stop."

Elsa's eyes, already a little dilated, grew more so. One of her hands moved from Jaina's hip to her breast. "Can you enchant ice?"

"I … what?" Jaina blinked at her, then furrowed her brow as desire made it incredibly difficult to figure out the equation. "Would … ice burns, but I could alter its properties so it can match our body temperatures without melting…"

Not helping matters, Elsa thumbed Jaina's nipple with a coy expression on her face.

"Do you mind…?"

"No." Elsa grinned, gently rolling the nipple between her fingers and making Jaina's knees quake as pleasure shot through her. "Just … tell me what I need to know."

"I'm supposed to be the one in charge here," Jaina murmured, before obeying anyway, excitement easing her nerves. She couldn't decide if Elsa was really cute when she got like this, or breathtakingly hot.

Probably both.

There was the telltale sound and sparkle of ice, and Elsa held a phallic, slightly curved object in her hands. "Is this good?"

Mouth dry, Jaina simply nodded, and was barely able to voice the spell for the necessary alterations. The math was deceptively simple, but it required finesse; converting the ice to another element and adjusting the properties to ensure it stayed exactly where it needed to stay.

Elsa peered at it, curious enough to no longer show any embarrassment. If anything, there was anticipation on her face. "I like this. We made it, together."

Again, the flip flops and twisting in Jaina's chest. She leaned in, kissing Elsa lovingly, before pressing their foreheads together as she took the toy out of Elsa's hand. Elsa watched Jaina's face as she pushed one side into herself, both her body and her magic keeping it in place.

It felt really nice, in a way she'd almost forgotten, and she hoped it would be as good for Elsa. Or better. And to make sure of that, she kissed her again, then dropped to her knees and pulled Elsa closer by her hips.

While she marveled at Elsa's hips, Elsa made a confused sound. "Jaina?"

"You want me to do this first," Jaina replied, remembering Arthas and Kalec. "_Trust_ me on this."

It wasn't exactly an inconvenience for her, either. While she ached to have Elsa's hands on her again, she loved to give her this kind of attention and she really didn't think Elsa would actually complain…

She flicked her eyes up to meet Elsa's as she tasted her, the heat there was a stark contrast to their mutual shared elements. Jaina closed her eyes, moaning as she nuzzled in between Elsa's legs, gently tracing her tongue in circles around Elsa's clit and somewhat more forcefully slipping a finger into her tight warmth.

She alternated between a faster tongue and a slower one, fingers crooking and moving inside Elsa, Elsa's gasps and moans filling the little office until the Queen was shaking, her body coiled and ready to snap.

Jaina stopped, pushing herself up and leaning over Elsa.

With shaking hands, Elsa reached up to undo Jaina's braid, threading her fingers through it until it hung loose, framing Jaina's face. She wrapped her arms around Jaina's neck, kissing her with all the need in the world.

It was enough to drive Jaina out of her mind, and she sank into Elsa, both hands on her hips. Elsa arched, and Jaina felt nails dig into her back. The pressure against and inside herself was momentarily overwhelming, though Jaina couldn't entirely attribute that to purely physical sensations.

Elsa's arms tightened around her as Jaina ran her hands down her legs and back up to her hips, breathing heavy and heart thundering. They kissed as Jaina began to move, pulling out and pushing back in a little at a time. Each movement made Elsa's hips jerk and a moan or sigh get caught in Jaina's mouth.

It stimulated her, too, different from what she was used to but still an amazing feeling, especially when she broke the kiss to look down at the woman she was making love to. Jaina wanted to do this a thousand different ways, and what's more, she wanted it to be more than friendship sandwiched between bouts of passion.

If Elsa was thinking similar thoughts, she was too lost in the moment to show it. Jaina untangled Elsa's hands from around her shoulders, lifted her hips up, then pinned Elsa's arms above her head. She drew her own hips back, searching Elsa's eyes. "Okay?"

"Okay," Elsa breathed, and Jaina thrust in with a roll of her hips.

The sound Elsa made was maybe a little too loud yet was music to Jaina's ears. She peppered kisses and love bites from Elsa's ear to her breasts and back again. There were times, Jaina would admit, when she wanted to be utterly destroyed, just as there were times when she wanted the gentlest love making imaginable. She'd never actually received either before now.

She wanted to lose control with Elsa, to, as she'd said, fuck her until she begged her to stop. Her name fell from Elsa's lips like a prayer, and for the moment Jaina focused more on slow, gentle strokes with the toy, punctuated by the occasional harder one, than any kind of raw energy.

At least until she felt Elsa nearing the edge, and desperately wanting to come with her she picked up her pace, until the desk started to move and Elsa screamed into her mouth. Her own orgasm hit her like a bag full of bricks a moment later.

Out of breath, legs burning and muscles she didn't know she had begging for mercy, Jaina rested her face in the crook of Elsa's neck. Elsa laughed, her voice sounding raw. "Every time I lay with you it's like the first time. Will that ever change?"

Jaina managed to lift her head, smiling as Elsa played with the strands of blonde that broke up the white. "I don't know, I've never been with someone before you who makes it feel like that every time."

"I think I might be in love with you." Elsa whispered, as her fingers looped more and more golden hair around them.

Words failed Jaina, the world spinning suddenly. But before she could process what Elsa said, let alone _respond_, the door burst open.

Anna stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, "Arendelle is und- whoa! _I knew it!_ We are so gonna talk about you hiding this from me af…ter." Her eyes darted from Jaina to Elsa and back again. "Okay wow … I … that's an option? Can I have one? Do you think Kristoff would like- Never mind! There's a _monster_ in the city!"


	14. Monsters

It took too long to get to the city, Elsa's heart in her throat the whole time they ran. What kind of monster could be attacking, and where had it come from? She could see smoke, and smoke meant fire and fire meant her country was burning.

"Oh hell…" Jaina came up to a stop and peered down the street. The fires weren't as bad as Elsa had feared at first, though it was hard to tell what was happening through the hazy smoke. Figures shambled, impossible to distinguish. The only thing Elsa could make out for certain was that they had more than four limbs; thin tendrils twisted and writhed from some of the creatures, while what appeared to be octopi floated around.

People were shouting and Elsa heard the unmistakable sound of clashing swords and the crackle of magic.

"Anna, get the people to safety, Jaina, we need those fires put out."

"Elsa—"

She shot Jaina a look. "Fires first, fighting second."

Jaina's jaw tensed, but she nodded. "Be careful."

"Always." Elsa started to run, then created an ice slick and slid down it. The creatures were even more disturbing up close, the kind of thing to give most people nightmares. She'd never seen anything like them; tall and bipedal with broad shoulders and thick limbs, their faces covered in tentacles that reminded her of a squid or octopus. Elsa pushed thoughts of the Nattmara she and Anna had once created out of their own nightmares, and started to craft walls and cages to hold the monsters, or to herd them towards the heroes.

As she did so, she got a very good look at how strong her new friends from Azeroth were, and much to her relief, it didn't seem to matter who was Horde and who was Alliance. They all fought together, defended each other and the people of Arendelle. She watched as a Night Elf spun through the air and dropped onto one of the monsters, sinking her blades in deep. The elf yanked back, exposing the creature's stomach for an Orc to run it through.

"Push them back!" Someone called out.

"Not there, not to the sea!" Jaina's shout came from another street, "We can't let any of them escape!"

Elsa narrowed her eyes, iced the bottom of her feet and skated through town, catching more and more of the monsters as she did so. She reached the dock ahead of the battle, turning to glance towards her kingdom. The defenders were indeed pushing the attackers back and towards the sea. Jaina had sounded like that was a bad idea.

What if one of them escaped, what if it reproduced? What if the oceans became filled with those things and one day returned? She couldn't allow that to happen.

Movement in the water, and Elsa snapped her head around to look. But there was nothing there save the waves. She was so nervous she was seeing things.

"Okay, I think I know what to do." She spread her arms out, and a wall of ice spread along the docks and the shore, forming a barrier between land and sea. Then she drew spikes out of the barrier and prepared to use her magic against any that might try to escape.

"Push them into the ice!" Elsa called out. And only after she'd given the order did she really stop to think about what was happening and what she'd done. A burly Troll warrior kicked one of the monsters onto an ice spike. The sound it made was horrendous, it's arms and face tentacles flailing as black blood splattered the cobblestones.

The Azerothians were so _good_ at this, too. Their weapons were extensions of themselves, their magic, their abilities driving the monsters into the spikes.

And then … and then it kept _happening_. Elsa stood there numbly as her ice, her creation, an _extension of herself_ killed more and more of the creatures. Her stomach twisted and lurched and she felt ill, consumed by two different kinds of guilt; her people were being hurt by these things, yet they were still living beings and she was _killing_ them.

Unable to look away and unable to _not_ look away, Elsa forced herself to bear witness to the destruction, until the creatures, large and small, had all been killed. She couldn't help but think that she'd helped eradicate an entire species.

She was still standing there when Jaina found her. Elsa didn't even notice her at first, her eyes on the bodies that the Azerothians had started to pile up and burn. That was … probably for the best; they knew better than she what these were, it was clear, and she could hear snippets of the conversations.

Old Gods.

N'Zoth.

Faceless Ones.

And other words she didn't know enough to understand, which was an entirely new feeling that made her feel even sicker. Stumbling past Jaina, she rushed around the nearest building and started to retch. So much death, the smell of burning flesh, wounded calling out and crying…

"Elsa…"

"I'm … I'm fine." Elsa waved Jaina off, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"You're not." A firm but gentle hand caught her by the chin, and Elsa was forced to look into Jaina's sad eyes. "And it's okay that you're not."

"I never wanted to hurt people with my powers," Elsa whispered. "I've always known that some day, to protect Arendelle, I might have to. But knowing and doing aren't the same thing."

"They were monsters, love. The last minions of N'Zoth. They…" And Jaina looked ashamed. "Must have come through with Dalaran. I should have had champions running sweeps. Just in case."

"They were still alive."

Jaina gave her a little half smile. "Yes, well…"

"Monsters, I know." Elsa frowned, but let Jaina's arms enfold her in a comforting warmth. "And if they'd made it to the sea, I suppose that would have been very bad."

"I'll talk to the Warchief and High King tomorrow, about sending people out to make sure there aren't any more pockets of them. They're … dangerous, even without their master to order them around."

"The fires?" Elsa asked, stepping back and fixing her hair and dress before anyone else saw her.

"Put out."

"How many people are hurt?"

"Six. No one died, but a few people will be recovering for awhile."

Elsa spotted a red stain on Jaina's robe. "…including you!"

"What?" Jaina looked down at her side, raising her eyebrows. "Oh. I'm sure it's fine."

"It's not fine." Elsa took Jaina's hand and started to tug her along. "We're getting you looked at."

"It can wait a little bit, others need help more than I do," Jaina protested.

…which was cheating and Elsa sighed. "Fine. I'll look at you myself once we've helped everyone we can."

"Okay," Jaina agreed, a soft expression on her face. She looked like she was going to say something, but changed her mind. "Let's go help."

**❄️**

Now that the adrenaline wore off, Elsa ached in new and unusual places and was bone-deep exhausted. She'd spent hours helping people who'd been hurt, assessing the damage and making plans for repairs. The bakery had burned almost completely and the blacksmith had also been damaged, along with three or four homes. Those people would be housed at the castle until their houses were rebuilt and she'd already received offers for the use of facilities for the baker and blacksmiths in Dalaran.

She swayed on her feet.

"Are you all right?"

Anna's voice startled her, but she recovered quickly and gave her sister a quick look over. "You're hurt!"

Anna held up her bandaged fist. "I'm fine, I punched a monster!"

"Anna…"

"I'm fine!"

Sure she was. Elsa sighed, and looked towards the castle, then back to the city; she could rest later.

Except Anna was already taking her arm and guiding her home. "I know that look and you really need to rest, Elsa. You can't do anything if you keel over."

"I am … so tired," she admitted.

"Yeah, they probably _could_ have attacked before you and Jaina got all happy fun times with each other."

"Anna!"

"What!?"

With a sigh that rattled her rib cage, Elsa pleaded, "Please, forget you _ever_ saw that!" While, undoubtedly part of the reason she was so sore and exhausted, this was not the time or the place and she would really, really like to forget they got walked in on.

At least it hadn't been Olaf or Iduna…

"Fine, fine." Anna looked smug in a way that told Elsa that they were not done talking about this, but fell mercifully silent as they trudged up to the castle gates.

Kai greeted them and Elsa smiled wearily. "Are our guests settling in?"

"They've been put up in rooms, and the children have been having a good time with Olaf, Iduna and Sven."

"Very good." Elsa caught herself with her hand in her hair messing with her braid. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." He winked at her. "I do suggest you get your office in order before you see anyone tomorrow."

One of Elsa's eyes twitched. "I'll keep that in mind."

Despite his words, the only thing Elsa had the energy to do was lock the door to deal with it in the morning. Anna barely gave her the chance before she was being pushed towards her chambers. "I think I can see myself the rest of the way."

"Nope. I'm going to take care of you."

"Your hand is bandaged up, I should be taking care of you!"

"That's Kristoff's job." Anna seemed to realize how that sounded and quickly added, "Tonight! You can take care of me once you've taken care of yourself, okay?"

"Y-yeah." Elsa turned her head away so Anna couldn't see the hurt in her eyes. She knew, she _knew_ Anna hadn't meant anything by it, but it hit a nerve, in a cluster of nerves already raw and bleeding from the night's events.

A few hours ago she'd been basking in the afterglow with Jaina and accidentally admitting things she'd been afraid to admit to, and now she was so _tired_ … she'd … _killed_ living things, her Kingdom was wounded, her sister was wounded, Jaina was wounded…

She was so, so tired.

Elsa had barely managed to get into her antechamber before the tears started falling.

"Elsa?"

Elsa tried to wave her sister off, but when she choked back a sob Anna carefully directed her to the nearest upholstered chair, the absolutely most guilty look on her face.

"I'm so sorry, Elsa, I didn't mean to imply that I don't need you."

"It's not that." Elsa rubbed at her eyes, and hiccuped. "Or I guess that just … I feel so awful, Anna."

She looked up into kind, concerned eyes, then reached up and hugged Anna, pulling her down onto the chair with her. "I killed things. Living things. They were monsters, but I killed them with my powers. And I don't know how to feel about that. And then your hand, and Jaina is hurt, and so many of our people are hurt. And I just stood there and … our new friends helped, yes, but…"

"This is normal for them," Anna guessed.

"Yes." Elsa sagged against her sister, turning her head and burying it in her shoulder. "What have I brought to our world?"

"You didn't do anything." Anna's uninjured hand stroked down Elsa's hair. "There were people in need. Dying and scared and on the end of their rope and you pulled them up and gave them a second chance. And they've helped us all out so much since then. Sure, they might … scuffle sometimes, but they've mostly been good about ending their war and … and tonight, Elsa…"

Anna nudged at Elsa until she looked at her. "Tonight, they fought together. And they didn't just help us, they were like partners. Orc or Elf or Human or Tauren, it doesn't matter. They're more alike than they are different and I think they have you to thank for realizing that."

Smiling, Elsa tried to blink her eyes dry. "Don't let this go to your head, but you're really very wise. I see where Olaf gets it from."

"Yeah well, I'm good like that." Anna got up, booped Elsa on the nose, then disappeared into her bedroom. While she was away, Elsa leaned back in the chair and pressed a hand to her face. Anna was right, and Elsa knew it, her words making her feel a little better about it all.

When her sister returned with one of Elsa's nightgowns and an amused smile on her face, she forced herself to stand. "Thank you. Now go see to your husband and my niece, okay?

"Sure you'll be okay?"

"I will be, thanks to you."

She kissed her cheek, and then started for the door.

"Anna, wait a second."

Her sister nearly collided with the door. She brushed herself off and turned around. "Yeah?"

"When did you realize you were in love with Kristoff? I don't mean, during the whole … you know. But after that. Once you'd really gotten to know him."

"Huh." Anna folded her arms and tapped her chin. "It was a little bit before my birthday. You know the one where you got sick and almost plummeted to your death while drunk on Oaken's cough 'remedy?' Anyway, I found Kristoff smuggling a bunch of baked goods out to the kids at the school. They didn't know I was there, and he played one of his silly songs for them. No wait, there was this other time, when he was patiently explaining something to Olaf, or was it that time that—"

"It wasn't just one moment," Elsa concluded. "It just kind of snuck up on you."

"Yeah!" Anna eyed her knowingly. "And Jaina snuck up on you?"

"I … yes." Elsa felt a momentary terror. "Anna, what if she wants to stay in Dalaran? They're talking about flying it again, and maybe even flying it elsewhere? Or what if she wants to be with her friends? What if something like this happens again and she gets hurt worse? What if—"

"—you talk to her about it?"

Elsa exhaled a nervous laugh. "Okay. Okay."

"Rest. And then you can talk to her tomorrow."

"Yes, Your Highness." Elsa stuck her tongue out, and Anna responded in kind before slipping out of the room.

Elsa leaned against the door. The exhaustion was still there, but the fear and the guilt had ebbed somewhat. She was stronger than this, better than this. And the Arendelle sisters took care of each other, and their own. Just, sometimes, it was okay to cry.

As she changed into her nightgown, Elsa hoped that Jaina got her mental telegram. She _would_ have that talk, but right now she just really wanted … Well, damned if she knew what she wanted.

But no knock at her door was forthcoming, and Elsa debated with herself on whether or not she was going to and check on Jaina instead. No, no, Jaina would be fine until morning and Elsa could hear her bed calling to her.

It was mostly by rote that she made her way into her bedroom, snuffing out a candle as she passed it. Elsa knew she was going to feel everything in the morning, both the good, and the bad and struggled with her comforter. It seemed to be stuck and she gave up, just laying face first on her pillow and groaning.

The comforter shifted, and then she was sucked into its depths. A familiar scent filled her nostrils and familiar arms pulled her close. Elsa grinned and snuggled into Jaina's embrace, sliding her hands around bare skin to rub at her back. Yes, they had a lot of work ahead of them tomorrow, and a lot to talk about, but for now, she was going to soak up Jaina's presence.

As she drifted off, she felt soft lips and warm breath against her ear, as Jaina whispered, "I think I love you too."


	15. Romantic Advice

**❄️❄️❄️Part III❄️❄️❄️**

"And we'll send some more blankets and some extra food. I'm sure they've been too stressed to really cook anything healthy," Rapunzel said, peering over Cassandra's shoulder at the checklist. "I know! We can send along some baked goods - cupcakes cheer everyone up."

"Not everyone," Cass pointed out, her eyes flicking to Sylvanas Windrunner and one of her Forsaken champions.

"I'm working on her." Rapunzel found the whole champion concept really kind of cool, but her friend was less than impressed.

"Are you sure she's not working on you?"

Rapunzel frowned, then shrugged. "She's complicated."

"I think she wants to eat you. Literally. I hear the Forsaken do that." Cass flipped the paper over and added a few more supplies to the list. She stared at it a moment, then sighed. "I hope this doesn't come back and bite us in the ass."

"What, helping them?" Rapunzel put her arm around Cass and squeezed lightly. "It was the right thing to do. Sure they look a little weird and might have bits and pieces falling off of them sometimes, but … you know how I feel about outcasts and the unwanted."

"Yes. Just let me plan for the inevitable assbiting."

"Sure, why not. Eugene can help you with that."

Cassandra wrinkled her nose. "Please no, he's already tried to give me romantic advice."

Raps grinned, eyes gleaming as she lowered her voice to conspiratorial levels. "Romantic advice? Is this about the dragon with no pants?"

She of course knew better but flustering Cassandra was always a good time.

Cheeks coloring, Cassandra shook her head and stepped away from Rapunzel, almost hugging the clipboard to her chest. "Not her."

"Who then? Is it who I think it is? Do you really like her? Is she an option? You know, into that kind of thing. I never thought I was, but I've been having second thoughts about what is and is not an option for me, though it's not really more than a thought exercise since, like…" Raps waved her hand, unable to imagine Cass with anyone who was a 'he'. It had to be that elf she'd been spending time with… "My heart has already been given to someone."

"Yeah." Cass said, tone dry and expression almost wistful, "I know how much you love Eugene, even if I can't imagine why."

"Cass."

"But I get it." Cass smiled at her. "I get it, meeting someone and then … they make your heart sing. But sometimes you don't get to have your first choice. Sometimes you have to learn to not wait for something that'll never be because if you do, you'll lose out on something just as good. Different. But good."

Cass was giving her a meaningful look that Rapunzel was reluctant to assign meaning to. If she did, she might realize something that she really didn't want to. Something that might hurt them both in the end. "So it's Vereesa?"

"Who it is doesn't really matter," Cassandra mumbled, in the sort of way that meant it was probably Vereesa Windrunner.

"Of course it matters. Does she feel the same way?" Rapunzel grabbed Cassandra's hands, ignoring the clipboard as it fell to the ground. "You can't just … I mean if there's a chance she feels the same way, you've gotta take that risk. You just said so yourself; you could lose out on that something good."

"So what are you saying, Raps?"

"I'm going to invite Vereesa to dinner tonight," Rapunzel decided, giggling delightedly at Cassandra's expression.

"I hear my sister's name."

Sylvanas's voice started Rapunzel, and her mouth went dry. Sylvanas's hand hovered near the small of her back, just like it always did lately. Close enough to be noticeable, but never so close as to accidentally touch. It was like the Warchief was testing her. Finding limits and testing them.

Ever since she'd grabbed her hair, Sylvnaas had kept something of a distance between them. Rapunzel couldn't quite explain why - she'd kind of liked it, though the thought of finding someone other than Eugene attractive twisted her stomach. It had been strangely alluring and yet the action had also sent an unpleasant chill down her spine. Images and feelings from the tower that she'd buried… Rapunzel shivered and pushed the thoughts away, and stubbornly stood firm. "Since she's working with the Sin'dorei I thought it might be fun to have her over for dinner."

"Fun," Sylvanas said, her eyes locked onto Cassandra. "I can't remember the last time I've had 'fun' and that may be one of those things Vereesa and I agree on."

Cassandra looked like she was torn between sinking into the earth or ripping Sylvanas's face off, and Rapunzel squeezed her hand again, before she turned and craned her neck to look up into Sylvanas's face. "What do you consider fun? Like, what do you do when you're not working or brooding? Cass here likes to play with swords and axes, and chess."

"I have been enjoying a game of chess with Queen Elsa," Sylvanas mused.

"Bet you I can beat you," Rapunzel said, before she thought better of it. She ignored Cass's eyes burning into the side of her face.

"You play chess?"

Rapunzel bristled. "What, you don't think I can?"

"Of course not, I just would have pegged you for someone more likely to pursue arts, rather than strategy."

"Raps is a woman of many surprises and talents," Cassandra replied, her expression only mildly less angry.

"Indeed."

Something about the look Sylvanas gave her made Rapunzel feel warm. It wasn't Eugene's Smolder™, no, but it was … like being on fire.

And, well, it made her feel guilty. Rapunzel sighed, and then nodded at Sylvanas. "Okay, come back to the castle tomorrow and we'll play a game."

She barely heard Sylvanas's affirmative as Cass tugged her away. Rapunzel chewed on her lip, her thoughts running a mile a minute. They were almost halfway up to her room before she stopped Cass. "Cass, can I ask you a question?"

"If it's about Vereesa I reserve the right to not answer."

"It's not, well, not entirely." Rapunzel folded her arms over her chest, and Cass's gaze softened.

"Okay, out with it, Raps."

"When did you realize you liked girls? Like when did that become _an option_?"

Cass stared at her for a long, tense moment, then lifted her hand and toyed with a strand of Rapunzel's hair. "The day I met you."

Raps blinked. "Oh." Then she blinked again, "_Oh_."

Before Rapunzel could spiral, Cass gently grabbed her shoulders. "I knew I was never an option, maybe even if Eugene wasn't in the picture. And that's okay. As long as I'm part of your life, as long as you need me, I'm content with that. And maybe, okay, Vereesa might have caught my eye. Which is kind of a relief."

"A relief?" Rapunzel wasn't sure if she was supposed to be insulted or hurt over that phrasing.

"Yeah." Cass nodded, then let go of Raps and pretended to brush herself off. "A relief that I _could_ look at someone else."

Rapunzel almost fell over without Cass to support her. Her words and revelation only served to make her head spin more and her heartache worse. "I … I never wanted to look at anyone else."

"I know. I only ever wanted you happy." For once Cass had no acerbic remarks about Rapunzel's boyfriend. She knew that sometimes, when Cass didn't think anyone was looking, she actually kind of respected Eugene.

"So uhm." Rapunzel tucked some hair behind her ear. "I've never experienced anything like this before."

"What, being attracted to a girl?"

"Anyone who wasn't Eugene! I mean, not that you or others aren't attractive or anything but it's never crossed my mind like that before."

Cass glanced back down the stairs. "Over the creepy handsy bitch?"

"She's not exactly handsy." Rapunzel replied, then quickly added, "…now."

She grabbed Cass before she could run downstairs and commit Warchieficide. "Whoa! No Warchieficide!"

"Raps, if she takes advantage of you—"

"If she wanted to she could have already. Anyway I'm just … really confused, but you're helping a little."

Cassandra studied her a moment, then sighed, and started to pull her back up the stairs. "It's kind of normal, Raps. Most people, even when they're in love with someone, do in fact notice when someone else is attractive. They don't act on it, even if they're tempted, but they do notice."

That … actually made Rapunzel feel a little better and she resolved to sit Syvlanas down and tell her what was what, among other conversations that she thought the Warchief needed. In the meantime, there were more important things to worry about. "Even if it took a bunch of pretty elves showing up for you?"

"Even if it took a bunch of gorgeous elves, yes."

_Gorgeous?_ A grin slowly spread across Rapunzel's face and she flicked some of her hair in Cassandra's direction. "It sounds like you have a _type_."

Cass didn't really have any response to that beyond shrugging her shoulders.

"Okay," Rapunzel rubbed her hands together. "So it's time to give you some lessons."

"In what?"

"_Romance_."

**❄️**

Once upon a time, there'd been a young mage from Kul Tiras, who'd absolutely adored the minutiae of meetings and found them anything but boring.

Once upon a time, there was a mage from Kul Tiras, who still adored the minutiae of meetings, only for once Jaina had somewhere else she really wanted to be. A giddiness consumed her, one that she'd finally, _finally_ allowed herself to feel.

As the meeting droned on and the Council mages debated, Jaina held on to that warm spark deep inside her chest. And like a spark and the kindling of a campfire, it just needed a little care to grow.

Jaina just had to take the chance and let it grow, as terrifying a thought as that might be.

"What do you think, Lady Proudmoore? You've been uncharacteristically quiet today."

"Yes?" Jaina managed to not be caught completely flat footed as she looked to Archmage Lissibeth. "I think there is some danger in levitating Dalaran, but it has merit, even if we do it just long enough to find a more permanent position for the city to maintain her neutrality. Do we turn her into an island? Attach her to another land? I've of the mind of levitation, but that may give the appearance of us being above everyone else."

"I think," Khadgar said. "That we are all in agreement about moving Dalaran to stop blocking the fjords of Arendelle. The question remains of whether or not we keep the city aloft, or find a place to land it and cause the least disruption."

"A suggestion, if I may." The First Arcanist leaned forward, resting her hands on the table. The markings on her face glittered with the arcane and for the first time Jaina realized how beautiful they were. "If we are to keep Dalaran aloft, we should encourage the Earthlings to build a city beneath it, or at least nearby."

Khadgar rubbed his chin. "And if we were to be over the ocean?"

"They have the capability to build ships, with some modifications and perhaps a way to shelter the city in a storm, they could float buildings. A sort of sea town."

"Why not the best of both worlds," Jaina said. "Using Arendelle as an example. Have Dalaran about a mile off the coast, while the humans build a trade hub on land. I could design a system to transport cargo from Dalaran to ships waiting below, and vice versa. We'll be far enough away that should the worst happen, the people below will be safe."

There was always the resulting wave, but if the town was positioned well it would be shielded from that, and that was something Jaina thought could be worked out before implementing anything.

Khadgar clapped his hands together. "I suggest we all rest up, for we shall need all our energy when we make Dalaran fly again."

There were precious few mages left, but lifting Dalaran into the air required much less power than teleporting it, let alone teleporting it _across worlds_. Conserving their energy was probably wise. They might have to temporarily siphon energy from the portals to other lands.

"Then this council meeting is adjourned."

Jaina was already out the door before the last word was spoken, checking the sky for the location of the sun to try to figure out where Elsa might be right now. She was eager to see her, but it was a little early, and the Queen would be busy with her duties for a few hours yet.

Idly, she considered interrupting Elsa as she slowed her pace through Dalaran. No, she couldn't do that, not at least without finding out what the rest of Elsa's schedule entailed.

She listened in on conversations as she walked, appreciating the normalcy of the situation, despite everything. They were all traumatized, yes, but they could at least find a new future.

"—figured out how much the bloody crown owes me, with interest, and the gods damn world ends—"

"—think he'd like what you're doing with the place, if he could see it—"

"—hear the Warchief is sweet on—"

Wait, what? Jaina came to a halt but they'd already moved out of earshot. Frowning, Jaina realized that she wasn't going to find out who Sylvanas might be interested in by eavesdropping.

Oh. Oh gods, Jaina had the most horrible thought imaginable; what if Sylvanas was sweet on _her_?! She dismissed the idea out of hand.

"Lady?"

Jaina started, then realized she'd stopped in front of a flower cart. "Wow…Your stock is looking good."

The Forsaken woman running it smiled. "Thanks, Lady. Had a bit of help from Princess Rapunzel. Name's Lucy."

"Nice to meet you, Lucy."

"Thinking of purchasing something for the Queen?" Another woman appeared at Lucy's side. A living human this time, who slipped her arm around Lucy and kissed her cheek.

The sight sent Jaina reeling so much so that she didn't immediately register the question and kind of gaped a little.

Lucy grinned knowingly. "Ray, why don't you bundle up a bouquet of Asters and Gardenias to send to the castle in Lady Proudmoore's name."

"Why … those two flowers?" Jaina asked, rather than try to play coy.

"Asters can symbolize elegance, something fitting for the Queen of Arendelle, don't you think? And Gardenias convey joy and secret love." Lucy took the gathered bouquet from her partner, and added two roses; one red, one orange. "And a red rose, of course, means love. It's a little more involved than that. Admiration, devotion, longing and desire."

"And the orange?" Jaina felt her face heating up but felt like she was already in this deep and she might as well go full bore.

"Passion," Ray chimed in, "_Ardent_ passion."

"I'm afraid to ask how you even know who I'd send flowers to," Jaina muttered, staring at the flowers as if they might somehow bite her. She was still trying to adjust to this couple, and wondered how long they'd been together.

Maybe … maybe everything could actually work out, if a human and a Forsaken could still love one another…

"I have my sources," Lucy assured her, "I'll get these delivered right away, okay?"

"Yes, thank you." Jaina pulled out her coin purse and counted out more coins than strictly necessary.

Gods, they still needed to figure out the exchange rate…

"No, thank you." Ray grinned broadly, then took the bouquet back from Lucy. "I'll deliver it personally!"

"Thank you," Jaina replied, still a little flustered. After Ray had walked off, she looked at Lucy curiously. "Have you two been together long?"

"We met a few years back," Lucy said. "Back durin' the Northrend Campaign. I was working with the Argent Crusade and Ray had come up from Westfall. Hit it off real well, though her family didn't exactly approve of the whole being dead thing."

"I suppose that's … not unexpected," Jaina admitted.

"It is what it is. We chose to help rebuild Light's Hope, then ended up in Dalaran during the whole mess with the Legion and kinda stayed here."

"Planning on staying here now?"

Lucy looked thoughtful. "Haven't given it much thought. I wouldn't mind moving somewhere else, long as it's with Ray. Corona is nice and maybe we can find a place that's neither here nor there and just for us. Maybe grow flowers instead of just sell them."

She sounded so wistful that Jaina felt her heart stir for her. "I am positive that Princess Rapunzel and Corona would be more than welcoming to such an idea."

"What about you?"

"I'm sorry?" Jaina stared at her a moment, not comprehending.

"Well, I hear that Whisperwind may have found a place for her new World Tree assuming all goes well with negotiations. Greymane and Wrynn are settling on places for their own people, least ways those not splitting up. Last I heard, Bloodhoof may have found a mesa somewhere. And we got that settlement in Tamrac and my people's in Corona. Heard an old friend of yours was thinking of just traveling. "Lucy gestured in the direction of Arendelle castle, partly visible from where they stood. "But what about you?"

"An old friend?" Jaina frowned, looking towards the castle, and Elsa, and Iduna and Anna. Then she looked back towards the Violet Citadel. She had responsibilities. But she also had wants and desires and just like that her happy bubble popped.

"Night Elf, purple hair, Yukale or something or other."

"Oh." Jaina smiled, even as she felt the tension draw her shoulders together. "One of the first adventurers to come through Theramore. Always ready to lend a hand. She was luckily out in the swamp with Feathermoon's sentinels when … you know. I can see her and her wife traveling, offering help and hope wherever they land."

Lucy smiled and kindly nudged her, "You're avoiding the question."

Again, her eyes picked out the castle. "I … I don't know."

"You … probably need to figure that out sooner or later, Lady. If you don't mind my saying."

Changing the subject, Jaina asked. "Is there a flower that means fuck you?"

"Monkshood, Tansy and Orange Lilies," Lucy replied, without missing a beat.

"Good, send those to the Warchief."

"I'll add a black rose or two, no charge."


	16. Perspective

Elsa was exhausted, but there was still so much to do. It had been days since the attack and she felt a constant, low-level anxiety about not just the prospect of more of that, but also her own part in it.

She'd done a thing she'd sworn she'd never do, and no matter how much she looked at it and knew she hadn't had a choice, it still bothered her.

But for now she set the thoughts and fears aside, in order to host Alexstrasza. They called her the Lifebinder, and while Elsa was curious to learn more details about this title and her entire … dragon-ness … she was polite enough not to ask.

She inclined her head to the Dragon, then gestured to the prepared table. "If you would like to take a seat?"

Comfort while discussing diplomatic matters was paramount and Elsa had found that most appreciated the gesture of a seat and a cup of tea.

"Thank you." Alexstrazsa inclined her head in kind, then chose a chair and sat down. Every movement of hers was fluid and graceful. Elsa wondered if she was like that in her dragon form, and what it must feel like to fly, free.

Elsa took the seat opposite as Kai appeared with two steaming cups of tea. This wouldn't be too difficult a task, which she was grateful for, since Queens weren't allowed naps. "I understand you speak for all the unaffiliated peoples of Azeroth, not just dragons?"

"I do." The tea cup seemed small in Alexstrasza's hands. "I appreciate your efforts with the Murlocs. They are often misunderstood creatures."

"I believe all life is worth trying to preserve." Elsa took a sip of her tea, "Have you had much luck with some of the others?"

"They have proven surprisingly cooperative. Some of them can be … difficult … on a good day. But give a Kobold a candle and a cave and it would be happy. Some of the other species took some more convincing, but we found areas devoid of human habitation where they should adjust. Non-alliance humans are relatively easy."

Jaina had mentioned a dozen different species, but there'd been so few of them. One in particular had her concerned, "What about the … Naga, was it?"

Alexstrasza nodded. "A particularly complicated people, and often enemies of the others. For a time many, but not all, were aligned with N'zoth. But they, like all of us, became refugees in the end. There were less than two dozen remaining when Dalaran teleported."

"Any thoughts on them? I would like to think they can be negotiated with."

"They can be, though they are likely to disappear into the sea, never to be seen again."

"That ought to spur some interesting rumors."

Alexstraza tilted her head in interest. "Oh?"

"There are many myths and stories about mermaids. Half human, half sea animal," Elsa explained. "I've read a lot of them myself. Underwater kingdoms and beautiful mermaids…"

She found herself flushing when Alexstraza chuckled. "Then I suppose that the Naga will only add to the legends."

"What of the dragons?" Elsa asked, managing to stop herself from wondering aloud if she could ever see one in their true form. It seemed somewhat impolite of a request or question.

"The dragons, what few remain, will strive to maintain the peace. A few have chosen to live in the mountains, others will fly to other lands. I myself am thinking of Corona." There was some kind of hard edge to her voice. "It's a very green land and that appeals to me."

Elsa wondered if the Forsaken living there might have something to do with it, and she couldn't quite keep the ice out of _her_ voice. "I hope that you'll allow the settlers there to live in peace?"

"My duty and my calling is to preserve _life_. So long as the Forsaken keep to their word on the Blight, then there is nothing for me to worry about."

God, but she hated this kind of politics. Elsa bit her tongue before she could voice her objection. Everyone deserved a chance to prove themselves, but on the flip side, what should be done if they failed? She set her tea down and rubbed her temple.

"You would prefer to take everyone at their word." Alexstraza's statement was kindly spoken, and took the edge off of Elsa.

"In an ideal world, we could," Elsa replied. "I understand that this world — these worlds — aren't ideal. There's war, and poverty and sickness on Earth. Enemies become allies, allies become enemies, and we all have to take the interests of our people to heart."

"And yet you were willing to accept us despite considerable risk to your own people."

Elsa held up her hands. "It was the right thing to do, and I wouldn't change that."

"Perhaps then," the dragon said. "That is the first step to your ideal world."

**❄️**

Anna was pretty sure that Elsa was still bothered by the whole Old God thing. Not that she herself wasn't; a bunch of monsters coming through with the actual good people left Anna feeling a little anxious, both for her country and for her daughter. Worry about Elsa was generally a given.

But she had bags under her eyes and clearly hadn't slept well when she'd seen her having tea with Alexstrasza yesterday, though when Anna walked into her office this afternoon, she found her sister fingering the petals on a bouquet of flowers. "Oh, they're so pretty…"

"Jaina had them sent," Elsa said softly. Anna could tell she was touched but a little distracted.

She closed the door behind her and quickly came to Elsa's side. "Are you okay? If Kristoff sent me flowers I'd be through the moon."

"I am! I am, I just…" Elsa leaned against her desk and Anna could now see how deep the lines under her eyes were. She really _hadn't_ been sleeping the past few days and Anna made a mental note to ask Kai or Greta to make Elsa some sleepy tea tonight.

"Really tired?"

"Maybe a little." Elsa's jaw tightened, "I was just about to go out."

"So where are we going?"

"We?"

Anna grinned, and slipped her arm around her sister's shoulder. "Yeah, we. Since I doubt you're going to go to bed right now, someone needs to keep an eye on you and that someone should be me."

Elsa half-heartedly tried to pull away, "Anna, please…"

She just stared at Elsa, eyebrows raised, waiting for her to talk.

"Okay, fine…" Elsa pursed her lips unhappily, sighing, "I … want to make sure we didn't miss anything the other night. I want to talk to some of the people who live deeper in the woods, see if they'd seen or heard anything unusual."

"The Horde and Alliance are unusual," Anna pointed out.

"Besides that."

"And then what? This could take hours, what happens if there is something unusual?"

"I don't know." Elsa leaned against her. "I don't _know_. I just need to make sure Arendelle is safe and … maybe I can talk to one of those things."

"An _Old God_?" Anna put on her best 'are you serious' face, "You want to talk to some Old God minion? Why? Everything we've been told tells us they're evil and mindless."

"Right, everything we're told."

Anna frowned, feeling an uncomfortable gnawing in her gut. Sometimes, she was still a little too trusting, but… "_Jaina_ told us that. You don't believe her?"

"I believe that she believes that. I believe that the things she has been through have colored her perceptions." Elsa held out her hand for Anna to take, "But I have to find out for myself if I can. At the very least, talk to other people. Not the leadership, but the regular people."

"Azeroth is a very different place, Elsa…" Anna took Elsa's hand and squeezed it.

"I know, but this isn't Azeroth. I welcome their viewpoints and their cultures and all the richness that brings, but this constant war against each other and the universe… It has to _stop_."

"Are you scared that it hasn't?" Anna followed Elsa through the castle, keeping an eye out for anyone as Elsa moved a candle on the wall to reveal a passage.

"They mean it." Elsa lit a lamp and handed it to Anna, "And we have to believe the peace will last. I'm just…"

Anna put her hand on Elsa's arm. "You're worried, and that's why you're a good Queen. Now let's go do some exploring and some talking. And then you're going to bed."

**❄️**

Their search hadn't been all that fruitful, which Elsa supposed was probably a good thing. An unfruitful search meant that they hadn't _found_ anything to be concerned about. No strange creatures lurking in the night, no sightings beyond the odd encounter with a Druid.

So Elsa had turned her attention to asking questions. After all, asking questions was never a bad thing, and something to be encouraged. Some people were reluctant to answer, of course, but they talked to enough to give Elsa a good idea of what to expect.

Old Gods corrupted. Old Gods were evil. Everything that Elsa had been told and yet…

She still felt her gut twist up as she remembered the sound of them dying, living beings… How much different were they from a wolf, or a bear?

The only consolation was that it had been for her people, but it didn't really make her feel all that much better. Even the people assuring her she'd done the right thing to protect everyone didn't make her feel all that much better.

Elsa stumbled, tripping on a root, and Anna caught her. "Hey, hey let's take a break."

"We're almost home."

"A few minutes isn't going to make a difference." Anna picked up a log bigger then Kristoff and shook the snow off of it, before setting it down and making Elsa sit.

"You're probably right." Elsa sighed, folding her hands in her lap and stared into Anna's concerned eyes. "I'm… It's not just that I've been overworked, I've also been having nightmares."

"Oh. Well that's understandable, I've had a few myself."

Anna placed her hand over Elsa's. "At least you're having regular nightmares, right?"

"Yes." She managed half a smile, understanding what Anna was talking about, a time when nightmares had almost consumed Arendelle. "I don't even know why I'm so upset about all of this."

"Welp…" Anna hopped into the log and leaned against Elsa, and as she spoke she ticked off each point on her fingers. "You're a good person. You want to see the best in people. You don't want to believe that there could exist anyone without redemption. You're not a killer."

Elsa's jaw tightened. "A lot of these people are."

"And … I'm sure some of them have killed people close to someone else who came through that portal. But … I can't _judge_ them for it. Not when they're trying to find a new life."

"I don't judge them either." Jaina was a killer, Elsa knew. And as consumed with guilt and worry as she was she couldn't be angry with Jaina as long as Jaina was clearly trying to be better. To move on and make changes in her life.

"Are you sure?"

She shot a look at Anna. "I'm positive."

"Then why are you so angry all of a sudden?"

"I'm just really tired. But I can accept it, I can accept Jaina and Sylvanas and all the rest, but I can't…" Elsa rubbed her hands over her face, "I don't want it to change _us_. Me and You, Arendelle, and Earth and our friends and allies… Just them being here has changed _everything_ and we may never know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. But I don't want to see us become so afraid of our own neighbors we resort to violence instead of dialogue."

Anna smiled at her, eyes glistening. "Let's keep that up, okay? Mediate, be welcoming but not so much that we get walked all over. Lead by example. And … you've been a really good example. From the day you found Jaina until now, you've been leading by example. And you want to know a good example?"

Anna's words lifted a weight off of Elsa's chest. "What might that be?"

"Jaina. Remember how she was? This wounded animal, bitter and alone and afraid of everything. And now she's…" Anna gestured in the direction of the fjord. "Being a diplomat. Less guarded, willing to work with her enemies for everyone's benefit. And that's all on you."

Maybe, Elsa thought, though she wondered how much of that might be the emotional and physical attraction between them. But Jaina didn't appear to be the only one willing to work for it.

If nothing else, it gave her hope for all of them; while paradoxically making her fear Jaina no longer being in her life. Elsa understood the power of duty over personal wants and desires and while she'd always managed to find a balance with her sister, a small, selfish part of her had liked when it was a little simpler; just Jaina and their budding relationship. Everything had been so much _clearer_ then.

And while Jaina had taught her so much, she _still_ wasn't entirely sure she knew how to fully utilize her powers. And maybe a part of her missed those quiet teaching moments, too.

She hopped off the log as her stomach twisted into guilty knots. "Let's get back…"

"Elsa?" Anna bounced after her to keep up and Elsa forced herself to slow down.

"I'm okay, Anna. I just need to get some sleep." She glanced at Anna, "And I can put myself to bed. I promise."

"I'm a little dubious about that, but I'll trust you."

She offered her arm to Anna, who took it, and they walked in silence for a few minutes. Elsa allowed herself to lean on her sister, as she had so often in her life, and was nearly startled out of her skin when Anna spoke.

"Do you want some advice? Like … relationship advice." Anna peered at her hopefully, "If not, I've got some related advice about nightmares."

"Okay, what's the advice on nightmares?" Elsa thought Anna just wanted to fill the silence, and she didn't mind. Sometimes, she _did_ get lost in her head, go away as Anna put it.

Talking was good.

"Uh huh." Anna squinted, but obliged her sister. "You know, Kristoff cuddles do wonders when waking up from one."

"I'll be sure to ask Kristoff to sleep in my bed tonight."

Anna thwapped Elsa in the chest. "Get your own. Oh wait, you've _got_ your own. And I _was_ serious. About that whole advice thing. I think I've been married long enough to at least have some kind of handle on how this all works."

"I'm glad for that," Elsa replied, catching Anna's hand and then holding it over her heart. Mischievously, she added, "If for no other reason than it ensures I don't have to produce an heir of my own."

"So _that's_ why you keep trying to steal Iduna from me! And here I thought it was because you adored her to bits."

Elsa relaxed a little at their familiar banter. Anna always knew how to help buoy her mood. "I do! But in all seriousness, when are you going to give me another niece or a nephew?"

"I assure you that we are _constantly_ working on that," Anna replied, clearly knowing damn well it was too much information. "We're working _tirelessly_, day and night, sometimes after lunch! Once or thrice we've snuck off to the stables..."

"I … have regrets."

"You asked for it. At least _you've_ never gotten any unwanted eyefuls."

"Anna…"

"The _office_, Elsa?" Anna feigned shock, though the expression failed due to her impish smile.

"The _stables_, Anna?"

The impish smile bubbled over into giggling and Elsa quickly started to laugh too. They walked like that the rest of the way to the castle, the occasional giggle escaping one or the other, before going their separate ways for the night.

Maybe there were still things that bothered Elsa, and maybe that relationship advice she hadn't let Anna give her probably had to do with talking to Jaina.

But she felt a lot better than she had earlier. Deciding to gather up her flowers before going to bed, she stepped into her office.

Jaina was inside, waiting for her, inspecting a vase with some of the flowers in it. Elsa stood in the doorway, staring at her. Studying her face, and the tension in her shoulders, and the way she leaned in to sniff the flowers.

Wetting her lips, she said, "Thank you. For the flowers."

Jaina jumped, then turned around. "I didn't hear you come in. I'm sorry, I was just…"

She moved her hands helplessly. "You weren't here, and the flowers were all put up in the vases and they're really pretty like that."

"Kai or Gerda must have taken care of that while I was out."

Elsa closed the door and crossed the room to join Jaina, chewing on her lip as she thought about the questions she had for her. Worries of both a personal and professional nature.

She couldn't, at the moment, really do anything about the guilt that gnawed at her or her questions about the nature of war and conflict. She could at least ask Jaina what she was going to do. Elsa just didn't know how to phrase it in a manner that wasn't a demand; twisting Jaina's arm or giving her a guilt trip was the last thing she wanted to do.

That would have to be a conversation for tomorrow them, and as Jaina slipped her arms around her, she leaned in. "Do you have anywhere you need to be?"

Jaina rubbed her back, and shook her head. "No. Are you all right?"

"Stay with me tonight, and I'll be better."

"I think that all we're going to do is sleep," Jaina replied, gently tracing one of the bags under Elsa's eyes.

"Mm…"

Lips pressed against her forehead. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Sleep tonight, talk tomorrow," Elsa whispered, allowing Jaina to guide her out of the office.

Maybe Anna was right about that whole cuddling thing.


	17. Cycles

Elsa yawned as she settled onto her throne. It was a familiar, comforting feeling, to sit in this chair even if sometimes she felt it was a little too confining. And too ostentatious.

But it was tradition, and there was enough change in Arendelle that she wasn't about to make a change to the royal decor so easily. Besides, it helped emphasize her authority and when dealing with the Horde or the Alliance she needed all the help she could get.

She barely remembered her morning. Jaina had been in bed with her, and her recollections of the twenty or so minutes between waking up and actually _leaving_ the bed were foggy at best, as though she were looking at them through the memory of a hazy dream.

_Had_ Jaina still been in bed with her? Her heart flipped, and she rubbed the arm rest, wondering if Jaina was still in her bedroom and if anyone would notice if she were to sneak out to find her. She lifted her head to rub her forehead and was just about to make the attempt when someone came in.

"Elsa! You're looking better." Anna all but flounced into the chair next to her, all bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Anna being alert this early was enough to make Elsa eye her sister warily. "I got some sleep, I think I'll be back up to snuff in a few days."

"Good!" Anna settled back, though she couldn't quite keep still, tapping her fingers in her lap and repeatedly shuffling her feet.

Elsa hid a smile behind her hand, a smile that turned into a yawn. "Sorry."

Anna rubbed her arms, shivering. "Why don't you take a rest day? I can handle petitions if something really needs your attention I'll call for you."

Anna's eagerness to help with her duties was always appreciated by Elsa, and she realized she was still a little too worn out to deal with her sister being this energetic. Which meant that Anna's suggestion had a lot of merit. "You know what? I'm not even going to argue with you on this."

She pushed herself to her feet. "I think maybe I'll pick out a book from the library and read it in the royal common room. That big comfy red chair sounds really nice right now."

"If I see Jaina I'll send her your way," Anna assured her, with an undertone that made Elsa flush.

Elsa took a step, and the crunching of ice drew her attention to her feet; there was a thin layer of ice on them marble tiles, her head snapped towards Anna. Anna was shivering almost violently, frost encrusting her eyebrows and lips, a white streak in her hair just like - "_Anna!_"

Anna stared at her, a thin line of blood forming from her left temple and down along the center of her face. "Elsa, I'm sorry."

The wound spread, cutting down her chest and up her right arm and the worst part, the _worst_ part was that Anna just stared at her the whole time. Elsa turned away at the sound of footsteps, throwing her hands out as wind howled all around her.

A blast of ice struck Iduna in the heart and sent the little girl skidding along the ice. Elsa screamed in anguish, dropping to her knees hard enough to jar her teeth and scarcely noticing. She crawled towards Iduna and with shaking hands, she reached out towards her niece.

Iduna lay still and motionless, the ice spreading from her heart until she was frozen as solid as Anna had been on that day five years ago. Anna, who lay nearby dead and butchered and it was all Elsa's fault.

"That's what magic is for," Jaina said.

Elsa looked up at her, and Jaina was blurry through her tears.

"On Azeroth, magic is to harm. To fight, to hurt, to burn and freeze and boil the blood." Jaina held her hand up, energy spinning around in her palm. "And it's the same here, Elsa. We didn't bring war. You already _had_ war. And it's only a matter of time until you realize that this is what your magic is for."

The ball of energy started to eat at Jaina's hand, growing and gnawing at her arm, and her shoulder and then started to consume her body.

Wailing, Elsa clung to Iduna's lifeless body as Jaina disintegrated before her and the magic continued to grow until the throne room, the castle and then the entire kingdom was gone. Elsa remained kneeling where she'd been, the only sound left quiet sobbing.

Something shook her, and her eyes snapped open. Jaina was staring down at her with deep concern in her eyes, her hair loose and about as tangled as the blankets around them were. Elsa grabbed her bare arm, digging her fingers in. "I…"

"It was a nightmare," Jaina assured her. "Whatever happened, it was just a nightmare."

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut, tears running down her cheeks. Jaina gently pulled her head against her chest, and she let her. "It was awful."

"I know, baby." Jaina nuzzled her cheek against the top of Elsa's head, as Elsa struggled to catch her breath without breaking out into uncontrollable sobbing. She lay there for a moment, Jaina's hand rubbing consoling patterns on her back, before she started to push away and try to get up.

Jaina caught her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yes I just…" She shrugged off Jaina's arm and stood on wobbly legs. "I have to see something first. I'll be right back."

"I'll be here,"Jaina assured her. Elsa didn't dare let herself look into her eyes, as she wrapped a cloak around herself and slipped out of her bedroom.

Anna, Kristoff and Iduna had a suite to themselves, directly opposite Elsa's and never had Elsa been so grateful for her family's proximity. As quietly as she could, she opened the door to the suite's common room and crept across it to a slightly ajar door. She pushed it open and peered inside so see Iduna sleeping soundly in her bed.

Elsa stared at her for a full minute, just watching her chest rise and fall, before she returned the door to its original position and then walked across to test Anna's door. It was unlocked, and Elsa very, very slowly, turned the knob and opened the door just enough to try to get a look at her sister.

Just like her daughter, Anna was sound asleep, but very much alive. Elsa closed her eyes, sucking on her lips as emotion momentarily overwhelmed her. Just a nightmare, just a nightmare _just a nightmare_. A flash of Anna's head covered in blood made her open her eyes again and suppress a whimper.

Closing the door, Elsa retraced her steps out of the chambers, down the hall and then into her own. Jaina hadn't moved from Elsa's bed, though she was sitting up, arms wrapped around her knees. She looked remarkably vulnerable and reminded Elsa that Jaina was also plagued by nightmares on occasion. Wordlessly, she dropped the cloak onto a chair and then crawled into bed, leaning back against Jaina.

Jaina hugged her close, nose against her ear and voice reassuring as she asked, "They're okay?"

"Yes. I know it was silly to check but I had to make sure." Elsa held Jaina's arms more tightly around her stomach. "And if you hadn't already been here, I'd have peeked in on you too."

"Guess it's handy to have me around then."

Elsa snorted. Her heart was still racing, but now that she'd seen for herself her family was safe, she was starting to feel calmer. Evan so, she wasn't about to close her eyes for longer than a few seconds at a time, not yet. Not if it meant seeing those images from her nightmare again.

"You're shaking."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Elsa."

She really was shaking, she realized. Even secure in Jaina's arms, she couldn't quite escape the terror and the grief. Her nightmares were _usually_ about hurting Anna, that much was sadly common, but there'd been something new and violent about this one. "Sometimes, I guess I imagine what it would have been like if Anna hadn't been frozen when she'd gotten between me and Hans. And my nightmares play that out vividly."

"I've seen … that kind of injury too many times to count, littering the battlefield. To imagine it being someone I loved would be horrific."

Elsa stiffened, then pulled away from Jaina's arms. She didn't go far though, simply sitting up in bed in front of Jaina. "You say that so casually."

"It was an all too frequent occurrence," Jaina admitted. Her fingers brushed the base of Elsa's spine, as if she were afraid of her reaction to being touched right now.

Slowly, Elsa relaxed and leaned into Jaina's touch. "You don't have to worry about that any more."

Jaina slid her fingers up Elsa's spine, and then trailed them back down. She repeated the gesture until Elsa found herself melting back into her. Waking up alone would have made this nightmare worse, but she couldn't help but feel a ball of anxiety center in her stomach.

**❄️**

Snow drifted down in a light morning flurry as Jaina took a walk through the castle grounds. She heard laughter and followed the sound to the main courtyard, where she caught sight of a pair of long pink ears and the Night Elf they belonged to. She hadn't actually seen as many of the champions as she might have liked since Dalaran had come to Earth, and she was pleased to see Yukale in particular. At the very least she could keep her mind busy...

Yukale seemed to be in the middle of building something while Iduna cheered her on.

"What's this?" Jaina asked.

"Swing set," Yukale said, trying to speak around a screw driver in her mouth. She gestured at a toolbox and Jaina reached until she found what Yukale was pointing at.

"Arclight spanner?"

"Yep." Yukale took it and tightened a nut on one of the balancing poles of this so-called swing set.

Frankly, it looked like some kind of torture device, held up by poles arranged in a triangle on either side with another connecting them and a variety of ropes and chains to, presumably, make something swing. Jaina looked dubious. "What's it do?"

Yukale took the screwdriver out of her mouth and finished screwing in a wooden plank. Giving the thing a hearty shake, she nodded in satisfaction then picked Iduna up. "They had something like this at the Darkmoon Faire and there's a painting in the castle that reminded me of it. Thought it might be good for the kiddo."

Then she sat Iduna on the plank, told her to hold on, and _pushed_. The girl squealed in delight as she swung up towards Jaina, then back towards Yukale. Jaina looked at the structure again, then at the ropes, and the girl on the plank. "Oh! Use your legs Iduna, you can keep it going yourself!"

Iduna giggled almost uncontrollably and Yukale took a step back and to the side to watch, though she stayed close in case of an emergency. She grinned at Jaina. "The marvels of modern technology."

"And an ancient principle," Jaina replied. She felt a momentary pang in her chest. "You're really good with children. At least this one."

"There are … toy companies on this world. I was thinking I could get into that business. At least it would give us enough money to travel. And a few other things."

"Don't plan to settle down any time soon?"

Yukale's ears twitched, swiveling forward a little as she smiled. "There'll be places to welcome us when our feet stop itching. But … while we didn't quite get everywhere, Kiska and I did spent most of our time exploring the farthest reaches of Azeroth and beyond. And now there's this whole _new_ world just … _waiting_ for us."

Jaina considered that. Yukale always tried to look on the positive side of things and it was something that Jaina was trying to learn how to do again. "What about those other things?"

"Well…" She looked back at Iduna. "There's a number of orphans that came through, too. I've been spending a lot of time with them and we've grown close to this Draenei girl, Dornaa…"

"I can't think of any better potential parents."

"Yeah, and this world … well it's not perfect, right? But it's better. Their wars are less earth-shattering. I won't have to fight, and - her ears drooped, "I can't begin to tell you how tired I am of fighting. Seeing those Faceless Ones again, it was too easy to resort to muscle memory."

"Peace is a constant vigil." Jaina folded her arms and closed her eyes. She felt Yukale's sentiment on a spiritual level. But she also knew if they weren't careful, it would be too easy to start up conflicts all over again.

"Why is that so easy?" Elsa's voice cut into her thoughts, and Jaina saw her standing near the swing.

"Why is what?" Yukale asked. "Fighting?"

"Yes."

"It just…" Yukale seemed to flail about for an answer. "It just is. I mean, I _hate_ it. Like I don't hate the excitement and being in danger, but I hate hurting people, and I want it to be different here. There are other ways to get thrills."

"_Thrills_?" Elsa asked, furrowing her brows. "How can you get thrills from that?!"

"She means-"

"I want to hear it from her."

Yukale folded her arms, her head tilting to the side. "Have you ever jumped off a cliff?"

"I'm sorry?" Elsa looked taken aback.

"There's a surge of adrenaline when you're in danger. When the ground is rushing up at you and the wind is screaming in your ears. And then, at the last moment, you stop yourself. A parachute, a glider, and you land safely." She twirled her hand. "A fight is like that. When you're in the moment and one wrong move means you die. That's what I mean. I don't like it, but that's the way it is. I vastly prefer contests where no one dies, but when I'm defending myself or someone else, I'll do what I have to."

"You jump off of cliffs for fun?"

Yukale shrugged. "This one time before the Dark Portal reopened Kiska and I jumped off of Teldrassil-"

Chuckling, Jaina interjected. "You're an adrenaline junkie we get it."

"Point being, I can get that rush without hurting someone. I never wanted war, I never wanted to fight my friends in the Horde."

"You keep talking about peace but you're as willing to pick up arms as anyone," Elsa said, looking between them and clearly implicating Jaina in her statement.

Jaina pressed a hand to her chest. "You would have us do nothing when someone tries to take an axe to our heads? Burns a farm? Slaughters-"

"This isn't _Azeroth_!" Ice crept out from Elsa's feet, the air suddenly attuned to her magic. Jaina started to reach out to Elsa, but one look from her made her drop her hand. "This is Earth. And yes, we have our problems. We have murders and wars and betrayals. No country is without sin. But this is Earth and war is _not_ the default state!"

"I read up on some of your histories-"

"And I read up on yours," Elsa snapped. "Do our enemies deserve to die simply because we judge them to be evil? Who's the judge? What if they're wrong? Who gets to decide that?"

Elsa was trembling, fear and anger warring on her face and her eyes sunken in. This time Jaina tried to pull her into her arms. "There's no single judge. There's just… "

"One side does something and the other responds," Elsa whispered, "Then that side does something worse, and the first side responds. And it keeps happening and it keeps getting worse until the world is burning and it's all you can do to keep yourself and the people you love alive and _how_ is that any way to live?"

"It's just the way it _is_." Jaina cupped Elsa's cheek. "Was. The way it was."

"You're still afraid." Elsa pushed Jaina away, lifting her hands to her head. "You have to stop being _afraid_. No one knows better than I do what problems fear creates."

"Elsa," Jaina dug her nails into her palms, unsure of where this had come from or how she might have missed Elsa's anxiety over it. "There are always going to be dangers, and there will always be a risk of needing to fight."

"On _Azeroth_." Elsa turned away, taking part of Jaina's fracturing heart with her. She picked Iduna up and walked briskly away.

"I think," Yukale whispered, catching Jaina's hand before she could follow, "That you may want to give her a few hours."

"I said all the wrong things." Jaina pressed her palm into her eye.

"Well, _yeah_."

"She's not entirely wrong," Jaina conceded. "I've been here months longer than any of you and while I feel like it's all burned out of me, I can't … I can't _stop_ thinking about every possibility, every way I might need to hurt people to protect people. I don't even know where to start."

Yukale stared at the swingset for a long moment, then picked up her pack. She started fishing around in it. "We'll always need to be armed. To skin and hunt and eat, that sort of thing. But…"

Making an 'aha' sound, she withdrew a sheathed dagger. The insignia on the sheath and hilt had long ago worn away. Yukale held it out to her. "I've got a few more in Dalaran, with the weapon ban in Arendelle and all, but it's habit to keep that around. I've had that since Hyjal. The first time. The Third War was my first war."

"Mine too," Jaina whispered, staring at the weapon. "What do you want me to do with it?"

"Transmute it," Yukale said. She looked back at the swingset. "How about into a toy?"


	18. Sick Days

To Anna, Jaina had kind of been a catalyst of sorts. A chance for both her and her sister to get people into their lives that were friends and not each other. Not that she ever wanted to be apart from Elsa, but at the same time she knew it was important that they broaden their horizons.

But, Elsa was still her sister, and she still worried about her, Elsa's fears and worries and anxiety gnawing at Anna like a little fish in a pond nibbling at her toes.

Which was why she found herself marching through Dalaran towards the library; Jaina hadn't been in the big tower nor to be found wandering around the city, so that was the next best bet.

She didn't mind the walking. Dalaran was beautiful. All the rubble had been cleared away and buildings rebuilt and as she neared the entrance to the library a low hum distracted her. She followed the sound until she reached the eastern part of the city, where the strange crystalline ship had rested since Dalaran's fall.

As she watched, the hum grew louder, vibrations rippled through the structure and with one final rumble it lifted off. Debris fell from it as the ship hovered over Dalaran. Anna stared, mouth agape.

A violet barrier went up over the wreckage that the ship had been resting on just in time to stop some kind of beam of light from escaping. She covered her mouth and exclaimed, "What was _that?!_"

"The Vindicaar," someone said. She turned to see an old dwarf.

"I mean … that." She pointed at the barrier.

"Ah. That's the Violet Hold. A jail for powerful beings. They had tae erect a shield to keep any from escapin' when the Vindicaar lifted off."

"A jail?" Anna folded her arms and regarded it with new eyes. "What did they do to deserve being locked up like that?"

"Some are demons," he said. "Minions of the Old Gods. Corrupted dragons. Others assisted the demons or otherwise harmed multitudes."

"I'd kind of thought you people didn't really do … the capture and jail thing."

He chuckled. "I know it seems like that sometimes, but we ain't monsters. Even in war we try tae take prisoners. If there's a chance a criminal can be rehabilitated, most of us are willin' tae give it a shot."

"What about … demons and old gods and monsters?"

The Dwarf wet his lips. "I knew a lass once. Smart as a whip, aye. Brave, but the stupid kinda brave. Got herself intae some trouble, became corrupted, tainted by ancient magics. Nearly lost herself." He tuned towards Anna. "If we'd just given up, she'd be dead. But we gave her a chance an' tried tae help her, an' she's alive, an' thrivin'."

"You didn't give up?"

"Almost did," he admitted. "An' there's a point with anyone where it goes from tryin' tae save someone, tae a mercy kill so they stop sufferin'. But we stopped it before it got to that point."

That made some sense to Anna. She hated it, but she knew that sometimes the herders had to sacrifice an animal who was sick or injured. To protect the herd and to stop the poor creature from being in pain. It wasn't a very large leap of logic to realize that the same thing could be applied to a person, too. If Anna was being turned into some kind of demon and they couldn't save her, well … she knew what she'd want, rather than hurt the people she loved.

Sometimes she wondered if Elsa had felt that way when she realized she'd frozen Arendelle… "I'm glad you stopped it. I'm glad it was an option."

"It's always an option, lass." He patted her gently on the shoulder, his eyes following the Vindicaar as it moved higher into the air and out over the water. "Jus' some folk are more likely to take it than others."

"Where do you think they'll go?" Anna asked, nodding at the ship.

"Some place isolated most likely. The Draenei have traveled far, an' for thousands of years. Goin' tae take them some time before they consider Earth home."

"They keep losing their home, don't they?" Anna had talked to some of them. She knew a little about their previous home of Draenor, and a little about their flight from their homeworld of Argus. It seemed like no matter where they went, they never really had a chance to keep a home. Anna's jaw tightened and she squared her shoulders. "Some of them can call Arendelle home if they want to. They're welcome, just like all of you. That's my sister's wish, and mine too."

"You lot have gone above an' beyond what could _possibly_ asked of you."

"It's … the right thing to do," Anna replied, perplexed.

"What I mean is … look, most of us from Azeroth, least the ones still alive, we all have a sense of honor. What that means differs from race to race an' person tae person within each race, but for the most part, when and if Arendelle is _ever_ in need of a helpin' hand, we'll be there. With sword, or shovel, whatever you need."

Hopefully it would only ever be a shovel that they needed. "Thank you … I shouldn't keep you, but you don't know where Jaina Proudmoore might be, by any chance?"

"Lady Proudmoore?" The Dwarf tugged at his beard, "Aye, I think I saw her go down tae this new little sweet shop over near the Legerdemain Lounge."

"Really?"

"Aye, mutterin' somethin' about chocolates."

"Hah." Anna clapped her hands together excitedly, then grabbed him by his hands and spun him around. "That'll make things easier, thank you, kind sir!"

She gave him an elaborate curtsey before she turned and bolted down the street. Flying ships and monster prisons were all well and good, but she had a mission! Anna skidded to a stop when she smelled the wonderful scent of chocolate scones.

Jaina stood in front of a stand, arms folded and expression thoughtful. The proprietor, a red and brown Pandaren, was pointing out a number of different treats, most of them chocolate. Jaina looked like she was at a loss.

"You know, a flying ship just took off, but I guess that kind of thing is pretty normal for you."

"Ah!" Jaina jumped. "I ah … I did monitor it, of course…"

"Yet you're distracted by, let me guess, personal matters?" Anna asked.

Jaina looked at the stand, then at Anna, and sighed heavily. "What's Elsa's favorite chocolate treat and how do I give it to her without making it look like I'm bribing myself back into her good graces?"

"Oh, it's a bribe, darling," the Pandaren said.

"I think that's why she needs me," Anna agreed. She took Jaina's arm and leaned in to peer at the sweets. "Wow, you've got quite the variety!"

"Made a deal with some local traders," she explained. "Hoping I can establish myself. It's interesting, your chocolate has a slightly different taste to it than the kind from Azeroth."

"I noted that too," Jaina mused.

She was clearly about to erupt into theorycrafting, so Anna pointed out one of the sweets. "A dozen of those! Wrap them up nice, uhm, blue and green are her favorite colors."

"Not red?" Jaina asked.

Anna touched her own hair and blushed. "I think she likes red fine, but most of her clothing is blue or green."

"I've got just the thing." An amused smile decorated the Pandaren's face as she prepared a box.

"Good thing I found you," Anna remarked. "You'd probably have messed this up really bad."

"Thanks. I'll ask someone to give you a tour of the Vindicaar later."

"Really! That's so cool!" Anna bounced on her heels, then immediately calmed herself. Right now, she was worried about her sister and Jaina both.

Mostly her sister. "But first, I'll help you with the chocolates and … we kinda need to talk."

Jaina eyed her warily, "This isn't going to be the shovel talk is it?"

"The what?"

"The talk where you tell me you'll kill and bury me if I hurt Elsa?"

"OH! Yeah we call that the glacier talk. You know, leave you to freeze up on the glaciers … I guess some things are the same but different!" Anna shook her head. "But nah, it's not about that." Then she frowned, and punched her fist into her palm. "Though, okay yeah the point does stand."

Jaina paid for her chocolates and carefully took the box, apparently choosing to ignore Anna's addendum about potentially murdering her. "Come on, there's a little park that should be deserted this time of day, we can talk there."

"One sec." Anna picked out a sweet for herself and tossed the Pandaren her coin, then quickly fell into step beside Jaina. She still couldn't believe there were _pandapeople_, but she shunted those questions down deeply to ask later.

"Is Elsa okay?" Jaina asked, taking a seat on a bench and holding the box tightly in her lap.

She really kind of reminded Anna of Elsa in the way she held herself apart. So Anna gently nudged her shoulder with her own. "I don't think she's doing too well. What exactly did you say to her?"

"We kind of had a difference of opinion about … the way we approach certain kinds of problems." Jaina's shoulders sagged. "And I didn't handle her concerns well."

Okay, so that was a start. "What kind of problems?"

"The fighting kind." Jaina's lips turned into a thin line, "I think fighting those Faceless Ones struck a nerve in Elsa. I know she once hurt you and Arendelle with her powers, and I should have understood that and how she'd react to hurting something. Even if the beings she hurt were trying to hurt us first."

Anna kind of went back and forth on the matter, though her conversation with that Dwarf had been illuminating. "We pride ourselves on peace. On kindness and understanding. But not everyone feels that way even here on Earth. We have to be ready, as rulers of this country, to defend it and those who we have taken in. It's a hard thing to like, accept. That both can be true."

But Elsa could be terrified of what she was capable of, and Anna wanted to smack herself for not realizing it before. Elsa tried so hard to be in control and she barely let herself enjoy life, even when she was having fun with her family. And now the old anxiety about hurting people was back, if it had even gone anywhere to begin with.

"Yes, you have to be ready to defend yourselves, but … I think Elsa was right on something very important." Jaina spread her hands out, as if to indicate all of Dalaran. "These people, and I include myself in this, have spent their whole lives fighting one war or another and survived and/or perpetrated any number of horrors. It's hard to come down from being constantly alert and constantly distrustful of old enemies. But we have to, because this isn't Azeroth. This is Earth, with different rules."

"We've got our share of bad guys," Anna pointed out. "But yeah. So … Why can't you tell Elsa this?"

"I tried and I messed it up."

"Lucky for you I was gonna talk to her tonight anyway, but I think you just need to show up with a box of chocolates and an apology and then see what happens from there."

Jaina's throat bobbed, and she nodded. "You know, even if I wasn't in love with her, it's still the right thing to do."

"What is?"

"Change."

"Change is the hardest thing." Anna tapped her fingertips together, looking down at the magically perfect grass.

"It's like trying to alter the course of a river," Jaina replied. "Slow, difficult, with fits and starts and failures along the way."

Anna reached over and put her arm around Jaina, squeezing. "Welp, the only thing to do is start."

"I started the day I met Elsa." Jaina leaned into the embrace. "I guess I wasn't quite as done with change as I thought I was."

**❄️**

In the five years of her reign, Elsa had 'called in sick' less times than she'd had fingers to count with. She'd worked herself sick, of course, for Anna's birthday the first time after they'd reconnected, and there'd been the occasional day where she'd had the sniffles.

It was _really_ tempting to roll over in bed and let Anna and her advisors take care of the country for a day. Elsa hadn't moved since she'd woken from another nightmare, and she didn't even have the benefit or excuse of Jaina's warm body next to hers. Which was, she reminded herself, Jaina's fault. Oh, she was still a little upset, but she was mostly _frustrated_.

"Fuck it." She rolled over, pulling her pillow over her head and then her blanket up to cover _that_. She just needed a little more sleep, just a little. If only she could close her eyes and not see horrible images or feel her stomach twist into knots as she imagined all the ways her attempts to help people might backfire and hurt Arendelle and her family.

She must have drifted off because she was woken by the bed shifting as someone sat down on it. Slowly, a finger hooked into her blanket and pulled it down from her head, and she peered groggily up at her sister.

"I'm glad to see you're resting." Anna tapped Elsa's forehead with her finger, then trailed her finger down her nose in a familiar manner that brought a smile to Elsa's lips.

"I was, until you woke me up." She made to sit up, only for Anna to hold her down with a strong hand. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is totally fine." Anna brushed her hand down Elsa's cheek in a way so reminiscent of their mother it made Elsa's heart ache. "I'm just worried about you. The stress is really getting to you Elsa."

"I'm not that stressed," Elsa mumbled, though she knew it was a lie even as she said it. Just _thinking_ about what she would have to deal with was enough to make her hands shake. So she kept them tight against her body under the covers.

"Uh huh. Don't be stupid, you're _super_ stressed. But!" Anna booped her nose. "Look at it this way! Relocation and resettlement in Arendelle and elsewhere is going well. You've got the meeting with the Horde and Alliance coming up and it should go pretty smoothly as long as we put our feet down when we have to."

"You almost make it sound like I'm not needed," Elsa replied, extricating her hand from her blanket long enough to catch Anna's and snuggle it to her chest. She didn't know who she'd be if she wasn't needed here, in Arendelle, and the thought was disconcerting, though not entirely alarming.

"What? No!" Anna's hand squeezed almost painfully tight, "Of course you're needed! But … I really understand how that feels. You can tell me a thousand times I'm needed and I still don't always believe it."

Elsa gave her a tired smile. "We make a pair, don't we."

"There's this Orc offering counseling services," Anna said, tone light enough to make it a joke but considering enough that Elsa wondered if she was half-serious.

She was silent for a moment, before saying, "I'll consider that."

Anna looked surprised, then smiled and relaxed her grip on Elsa's hand. "So is there anything you want to talk to me about? Your nightmares, maybe? Your fears about the New Dawn Accords? … Jaina?"

"Everyone dies and it's my fault," Elsa said. She finally managed to get herself sitting up without Anna interfering, and promptly enveloped her with a blanket hut. Anna always smelled like autumn, and she let the scent comfort her.

"We're still alive. _I'm_ still alive. And even if something bad happened, it wouldn't be your fault."

"I know. Logically, I know. But emotions and feelings don't work on logic, Anna." She tried to fight off a yawn, and held her sister closer. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Logically, I know those things would have killed our people. Logically, I know I did the right thing in defending Arendelle. But it still felt _wrong_. I wasn't born to be a … a _killer_, and-" Her voice hitched, and she felt Anna loop her arms around her.

"No one is born a killer, Elsa. Not even the people from the other side of that tear."

Fresh tears burned down Elsa's face. "I'm scared they won't let go of the past and our careful work won't just be for nothing, but will bring ruin and damnation onto the whole planet."

"We won't let that happen. I don't think _they'll_ let that happen." Anna's fingers brushed blindly at Elsa's tears. "You need to have faith in peace, and you need to _trust_ them. This can't be any easier for them than it is for us, you know?"

That was the question, wasn't it; did she actually trust them? Did she actually trust _Jaina_? Elsa buried her face into Anna's hair. Anna, who she trusted without thought, Anna, who she'd put first above anyone, even herself. "I feel like I'm not in control and I hate it."

"I know it seems like that, but you are in control. If you ordered it, they'd leave. All the diplomacy, all the treaties and signatures, it's all because of _you_."

"Not just me." Elsa lifted her head and kissed Anna's cheek, "You too, or have you forgotten how many friends you've made for us? Helped them set aside their differences? Sometimes I wonder if maybe you should have been Queen."

Anna grinned. "Okay, I'll accept all the accolades and awards as long as there's cake involved."

"You have a deal."

"Feeling better?"

"Yes," Elsa replied, and it wasn't even entirely a lie.


	19. Subjectivity

**❄️❄️❄️Part IV❄️❄️❄️**

Sleep didn't always come easily for Elsa. Her duties as Queen often kept her up late, even when she wasn't actively working. In a great irony, Jaina had helped her focus on things that weren't just work. Elsa thought that _maybe_ she'd been a little harsh with her but she had a meeting in the morning that she didn't expect to go well and Jaina was all she could think about.

Which was probably why she found herself standing in front of Jaina's room with her hand on the door before the sun was even up.

Elsa blinked, not entirely sure when she'd left her room. She sighed, deeply, and then leaned her forehead against it.

The door opened suddenly and she stumbled forward, flailing her arms before Jaina caught her.

"Elsa?"

Elsa steadied herself on Jaina's shoulders. "Uhm. Good morning."

"I guess I'm not the only one who can't sleep." Jaina's arms slipped around her, almost crushing her in a hug.

Elsa closed her eyes, inhaling her scent, then hugged her back. She let Jaina guide her into the room, and used her foot to close the door behind her.

"I'm sorry," Jaina said, rubbing her hands up Elsa's back and then cupping her face. "I'm sorry for making things difficult for you. For being so set in my ways that I had such a hard time seeing your side of it. This isn't Azeroth."

"To be fair, we have our own problems on Earth," Elsa admitted. "War seems to be a universal concept."

"Yes, but I have spent literally half my life engaged in it. First guiding people away from it and then diving headfirst into killing and bloodshed. There are things I've done I haven't even figured out how to tell you about and-"

Elsa put her finger over Jaina's lips. "Later. Right now I just need to know that … that what happened that night with those _things_ isn't the start of something. I need to know that what I did…" She gripped Jaina tighter, "That it won't _change_ me."

"I don't think any more came through, and we've had patrols hunting for days. The Old God himself is too far away to influence us. Any aggression, that's … All on us. On me." Jaina stroked Elsa's upper lip. "But I can't tell you that harming another living thing won't change you, Elsa. Some day, Arendelle might be attacked, and you might be called to defend it. And that will change you too. It's how you _react_ to the change that matters. Guilt is normal. Gods know that most of us who came through don't remember what that feels like and it's going to be an adjustment…"

"Jaina…" Elsa leaned into the finger on her lips and the hands on her face. She didn't want to hear about the necessity of war, she was a monarch, she was aware of the possibility. But Arendelle was on good terms with most of their allies and-

"Please, let me finish."

Stomach clenching, Elsa replied, "Okay."

"I'm trying to tell you that you're right, and I could take a page from your book." Jaina stepped back, taking Elsa's hands. "To … keep reclaiming that part of me that I thought died in the ashes of Theramore."

"For yourself, or for me?" Elsa asked, needing to hear the answer.

"For myself." Jaina kissed Elsa's fingertips. "And maybe for you, a little. And Anna. And for the people, all of them. But mostly for myself."

"That's fair," Elsa replied, relieved. She didn't think it was that healthy for one person to be someone's only. It had always been why she'd felt Kristoff was so good for Anna. And a reason Jaina was good for her.

"…Are you still mad at me?" Jaina asked.

"No." Elsa laughed, pulling Jaina closer by their joined hands. "I was never all that mad with you to begin with. Frustrated. A little scared about losing you…"

"I'm not going anywhere." Jaina leaned in, their lips almost meeting, "Not with Dalaran. Not as long as you'll have me."

It had been the question that Elsa had dreaded asking her, before she'd gotten so angry and worried. If Jaina would stay with her, in Arendelle. And now that she had the answer. "I want you as long as _you_ want to be here. If you need to be elsewhere, I shouldn't stop you. It would be wrong."

"I'm exactly where I need to be," Jaina assured her and the only response Elsa had was a relieved kiss.

❄️

Jaina hadn't gotten much sleep after Elsa had shown up at her doorstep. And not for the fun reason, either. They'd talked for hours, though whenever Jaina had tried to broach certain subjects, Elsa had shot them down in favor of speaking about them after the meeting and subsequent ball. Or party, as Jaina liked to think of it.

But she felt better, emotionally, than she had in days. Whatever the future held, she wanted Elsa to be a part of it.

If nothing else it was an easier thought to deal with than the meeting. Elsa had called it to finalize some trade negotiations between the Horde, Alliance and Arendelle and its allies. Open trade, equitable between all sides.

But trade negotiations could often go sideways in Jaina's experience, which was why she was there, with a four-hundred page document designed to cover any contingency the Horde or Alliance could come up with. At least as best as she could do with what little she knew of Horde tax code. But it should be sufficient.

At least, that's what she'd thought as she folded her arms and rubbed her temple, staring at Sylvanas as she and Anduin negotiated.

Loudly.

"You cannot expect the Horde to agree to these provisions," Sylvanas snapped.

"If you seriously think the Alliance will be happy with your suggestions, you've got another thing coming." Anduin jabbed his finger into a paper that Sylvanas had presented, "These fees are outrageous! Did you let the goblins draw this up?"

"The Bilgewater are valued members of the Horde and their input on monetary matters is in fact a requirement of their membership," Sylvanas replied.

Jaina unfolded her arms, half expecting this to come to blows. "You can't be _serious_."

"I am quite serious." Sylvanas turned her head, staring directly at Jaina, trying to unnerve her, "You are here to mediate. So _mediate_."

Sighing, Jaina walked around the table to look at Sylvanas's offer, glancing in Elsa's direction briefly before picking up the paper. The numbers were so outrageous it was obvious it was just an opening volley, and she tossed it onto the table. Normally, she'd suggest Anduin offer one-eighth.

And then Sylvanas would offer slightly lower than her original and so on until they met at a number somewhere in between acceptable to both parties, which was standard Goblin trade policy and really, Anduin should _know_ that.

But she was tired and Elsa had her hair down today which was incredibly distracting and wholly unfair so she wanted to get this over with. "Fifty-fifty."

Anduin stared at her, "Pardon?"

Jaina squeezed Anduin's shoulder. "We can all go back and forth with numbers and suggestions, but it's always going to end up at roughly fifty-fifty, so I thought to just cut through the bullshit and make the final offer."

"You think it's going to be that easy, Proudmoore?" Sylvanas straightened, amusement glinting in her ruby eyes. "You can just suggest the number and that's that?"

"We could be at this all day."

"I've got the time."

That smile on Sylvanas's face set her teeth on edge. Jaina counted backwards from ten before speaking again. "Being dead has its advantages. That being said, I'm sure you still have other things you'd rather do."

"LIke you?" Sylvanas's eyes moved towards the Queen.

"That's enough," Elsa said. "We should get back on topic. I don't see the point in you trying to antagonize us, Sylvanas."

"Us, Your Majesty?" Sylvanas turned fully towards her, away from Jaina so she couldn't see the expression on her face, "I thought Arendelle was remaining neutral. Though how neutral can one be when they share a bed with the Lord Admiral of Kul Tiras?"

Heat rose to Elsa's face, but she didn't look away from Sylvanas, even to glance at Jaina. "I was _referring_ to those of us standing here, personally. Arendelle _is_ neutral territory and neither myself nor my allies will accept any conflict between your peoples while in our lands. As for my relationship with Jaina, it has nothing to do with these discussions and I would appreciate it if you'd cease your barbs."

Elsa's eyes narrowed, her shoulders tensing. "Or would you like me to inquire as to your relationship with my cousin?"

Sylvanas's ears pinned back, and almost as quickly they resumed their normal position. So Elsa had struck a nerve, which was interesting. Could the Warchief actually be _fond_ of that adorable ball of sunshine? If the mood wasn't so tense Jaina might have laughed.

"I like it when you bare your teeth, Your Majesty." Sylvanas tilted her head to the side. "You might almost have survived on Azeroth."

"I don't know if I would have," Elsa admitted. She clasped her hands behind her back, lifting her chin and looking at Jaina, Anduin and then Sylvanas again. "It seems to me, that in order to survive your world one must commit increasingly worse crimes."

"Crimes," Sylvanas snorted, her eyes falling to the table, "Are subjective."

"Don't you-"

She interrupted Anduin, "Who attacked first at Stormheim, little lion? Which side sacked Zuldazar? What of alliance internment camps?"

Sylvanas turned her back to Jaina, directing her next statement at Elsa. "Has your lover told you _exactly_ what she did in Dalaran?"

"I'm aware," Elsa replied, tone icy and face carefully neutral. "And I am sure they can name just as many crimes the Horde has committed. But that is in the _past_. I'm not asking you to forget, but if you don't try to move on then you'll burn this world down too and I don't think there'll be another for you to escape to next time."

"Oh, I could name them _too_. There are things that would keep me up at night, if I slept." Sylvanas reached down, picking up the paper with her offer on it. She studied it as she spoke, "I just want it to be clear that the blood on our hands is shared. If we are to move on, than I would like a written _acknowledgement_ from the Alliance of their crimes _and_ formal recognition of the Forsaken as a nation and a people."

"And will you acknowledge Teldrassil for the crime it was?" Jaina asked. By rights, it should be Anduin to speak for the Kaldorei, but she couldn't help herself.

"My dear, I'll even have the Horde accept responsibility for _Theramore_, in exchange for this."

"No," Jaina replied. She was long enough removed from that situation to see the truth for what it was. "Theramore was _Garrosh_, not you."

"The full might of the Horde was sent to crush Theramore," Sylvanas pointed out. "We all bear responsibility for not doing something about Garrosh sooner. The offer stands."

Jaina couldn't quite wrap her mind around the idea of Sylvanas being _reasonable_. They'd all been driven close to madness for so long that Jaina had forgotten what kind of person Sylvanas had once been. Like something had altered her character. Had altered _all_ of them. "May I ask you a question?"

Sylvanas gestured for her to continue.

"Since you've come here have you felt … like you see everything more clearly? And that a lot of what has driven you is … duller."

"I feel something," Sylvanas allowed. "What that something is, I am not inclined to share."

"Are you less angry?"

"Yes," Sylvanas said, sounding like she actually kind of hated it. She started to tear her paper up, and then tossed the shreds like confetti. "Fifty-fifty, it is."

"You're right. There's no one in the leadership of both sides that is without sin." Anduin held out his hand and to Jaina's eternal surprise, Sylvanas clasped it.

The rest of the meeting went relatively smoothly, with only the occasional shouting match to make things interesting. Jaina occasionally felt Elsa's eyes on her, and grew more antsy with every passing hour; Elsa had straight out _lied_ because Jaina hadn't had the opportunity to tell her about Dalaran.

Granted, some of that was Elsa pushing it off too, but Jaina could have brought it up _months_ ago and she felt a lot like the time she'd been waiting for one of the Archmages to scold her.

So she was more than relieved when Elsa left Anna to handle Arendelle's part in the affairs. Elsa gave her a meaningful look, and she followed her after a moment.

"Anna seems to excel at this sort of thing," Jaina said, walking alongside Elsa and mostly trying to fill in the silence.

"We had the same schooling," Elsa said. "And I trust her to do the right thing, always."

"What if the right thing isn't something you agree with?"

Elsa stopped at the door to her office, hand on the knob. "Then I trust her to do the right thing."

"I can't see you two disagreeing all that often."

"Not really, but it happens." Elsa turned the knob and lead Jaina inside. She hesitated, then locked the door and walked over to her desk to lean her hip against it. "So. Dalaran."

"You didn't have to lie, Elsa. What if she'd pressed you?"

"Windrunner respects strength."

"That she does." Jaina sighed, folding her arms. "This is the thing I wanted to talk to you about. That I've tried to figure out how to approach for months. It's hard to even get into that headspace and…"

"You said you were ashamed." Elsa leaned her hands on the desk behind her. "Just tell me the facts, I know you can step back and view this dispassionately. Just tell me, what happened in Dalaran?"

"Like many things, it started with a powerful artifact. Dalaran has many locked away in the vaults. This one was called the Divine Bell, and it was stolen. At the time in Dalaran there were two factions, the Sunreaver Blood Elves and the Silver Covenant High Elves. I'll explain the difference later."

Elsa nodded. "Go on."

"We discovered that members of the Sunreavers used Kirin Tor resources to steal it for the Horde. Their leader knew about it, but did nothing. So I ordered them expelled from the city. And some did not go quietly…" Jaina trailed off.

"They resisted."

"Yes. And while we only fought those who resisted … some of our forces were less than gentle in expelling them." Jaina tried to ignore the thin layer of ice on the window. "People died."

"And you didn't stop them?"

Jaina could offer a dozen excuses but as much as she might protest that she hadn't known what was going on before it was too late that was still half a lie.

Regardless, Jaina had been leader of the Kirin Tor and the responsibility lay with her. "I was so _angry_. They broke a code, Elsa. A code they swore to, to remain neutral from both the Horde and the Alliance, to protect the artifacts and not allow them to fall into the wrong hands and be used in meaningless wars. I used that as an excuse to expel the Horde and side Dalaran with the Alliance. But some of our forces got overzealous and when I found out … I told myself it was too late, so I looked the other way."

Elsa listened as Jaina spoke, not interrupting. As hard as it was for Jaina to even admit to herself, let alone say, it couldn't have been any easier for Elsa to listen. Elsa's voice was quiet. "What do you think you'd do differently?"

"Now?" Jaina was unprepared for the question, "Investigate more. Expel Aethas Sunreaver and those directly responsible for the theft, but investigate more. But it's easy to look back and say you'd do differently, when years have passed and there's no more hatred in your heart. And it doesn't change that it happened and that I'm responsible. I told you, Elsa. I'm a monster and hatred is a cycle."

"This cycle," Elsa pushed off from the desk and slowly approached her, "can end. I believe the first steps have already been taken and today is just the middle of that journey."

She took Jaina's hands and kissed one palm. "I see why this was so hard to talk about."

"I wish I had before." Jaina noticed the ice on the widow had thawed, and her heart stopped trying to beat its way out of her chest.

"Me too."

"So now what?"

"Sometime this week, you'll write that letter of acknowledgement," Elsa said. She kissed the other palm. "And we'll put it together with the ones from King Wrynn and the Warchief. And anyone else who might wish to contribute, so that we can all learn from the past and stop being ruled by fear and doubt and anger. I might never understand the kind of thinking that could lead to _everything_ you've all been through, but I think you're all better than that. And, if I'm honest, I think you all need this to really begin to heal."

Jaina smiled, expression vulnerable and soft. "So … are we okay?"

"Of course!" Elsa let go of Jaina's hands in order to hug her.

"I'm not who I was, then," Jaina promised. "At least, not like that. A part of that will always be with me."

"No one remains who they were." She rested her head on Jaina's shoulder, eyes closed, somehow gladdened that Jaina was still willing to take responsibility for her actions. "It wouldn't be fair to judge a person for past misdeeds if they genuinely show remorse and take actions to correct their behavior. And it's not really my place to forgive this, or not."

Pained, Jaina whispered, "I guess … I can give even Sylvanas that chance."


	20. Journey to the Past

"You know I'm not sure how any of this works," Kristoff said, scratching his head as he squinted at a rule-book.

Anna smiled at her husband, and pointed at the board. She'd been excited to try this game since she'd first seen people playing it in the city. "Okay, so each area represents a country and the person that holds the most countries at the end of the game is the ruler of the world and I win."

"A little confident there, aren't you, feisty pants?"

She stuck her tongue out at her sister, plucking the rules from Kristoff. "I'm going to kick all of your butts." She paged through to a section about negotiation and frowned. That might give Elsa a distinct advantage…

"Don't be so sure about that." Elsa stole the rules from Anna. "So we have the option of warfare or diplomacy."

"Suddenly I'm glad you didn't invite Jaina." Kristoff settled in next to Anna, with Iduna in his lap. "Because I'm not sure which option she'd be better at."

"Why didn't you?" Anna shoved her sister over to sit next to her.

"I uhm…" Elsa fidgeted with the rule book, "This is family night… It's always been for us. I didn't know how you'd feel about inviting someone else to join us."

"Elsa." Anna stared at her sister in disbelief. On the one hand, she really was touched, but on the _other_ she knew exactly what Jaina had come to mean to Elsa and in Anna's book, that made Jaina family too. Unless… "What, is Jaina going to like leave or something? I'm going to _kill_-"

Elsa put her hand on Anna's arm. "No! She's staying!" It was as though the words only just now seemed to sink in for Elsa, "She's staying…"

Anna put her arm around Elsa, her sister sagging against her like a doll. "Do you not believe it or something?"

"I guess I didn't really accept that it was true until now." Elsa set the book down in front of them, "I spent so long expecting to say good bye that I don't know how to react knowing I won't _have_ to. She's not going to Dalaran, or Plagueholm, or the new World Tree or anywhere else. She's staying in Arendelle with us. With me."

Delighted, Anna hugged Elsa with one arm, and then with her other arm and then with her whole self. Elsa flailed as they both toppled over laughing, sending the board and pieces flying just as Kristoff had just finished setting them all up. He looked down at Iduna and sighed dramatically. "It's going to be one of those nights. Want some ice cream?"

Iduna's eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically. Kristoff got to his feet and Anna poked her head up. "Bring us back some!"

"Chocolate," Elsa clarified.

"Chocolate or vanilla with chocolate - oh who am I kidding." Kristoff laughed to himself, and Anna could hear him talking to Iduna as he left the room, "Why would I get your mama and aunt anything _but_ chocolate ice cream covered in chocolate syrup?"

"You married the right man," Elsa quipped.

"Damn right," Anna giggled, then picked herself up. "Stay here, I've been saving something for you."

Elsa sat up, looking at her quizzically. "You have?"

"Yep." Anna put her finger over her lips, then darted out of the room. She ran down the hall, and then opened a little used door and stepped into the treasury. The guard on duty nodded at her, and she nodded back. "Just here for something for the Queen."

He shrugged, because she was the Princess and It wasn't his job to tell her whether or not she could enter the Royal Treasury and take something. With a few exceptions typically reserved for specific functions she was welcome to take almost anything out.

Anna winked at him and made her way through past a variety of treasures, but what she was looking for was a very special collection. The box was exactly where she remembered and she picked it up with a wave of nostalgia. Pausing only long enough to sign it out, Anna ran back to where she was keeping her sister waiting.

Elsa had picked up the board and set it back up, then moved to the window to stare out it. "Do you think it's too late to invite her?"

"Of course not," Anna said. "We can do couples. But before you send for her, I've got something for you. Or rather, Mother does." She held out the box, and Elsa turned to stare at her, and then at the intricate designs carved into the wood.

"I'm sorry? Mother?" Elsa stepped away from the window, approaching both Anna and the box with trepidation.

Anna nodded, holding the box close to her chest, remembering that day eight years ago. "Yes. When I was sixteen she pulled me into the treasury and showed me this box."

Elsa swallowed, reaching out and stroking a crocus carved into one side.

"'Anna,' she said, 'there's something in these boxes for both you and Elsa.'" Anna gazed down at the box as well, fondness on her face and in her voice, "You were still … you know. But she'd hoped that one day you'd let us in again, and then she could give you this, just like she was going to give me its sister."

"I don't understand, Anna…" But Anna could see comprehension dawning in her face.

So she opened the box. Inside was a silver ring engraved with snowflakes, with a sapphire set into it. The sister to the gold ring Anna wore on her left hand below her wedding band and engagement ring, with crocuses for engravings and a ruby setting. "Mother isn't here to give this to you, but I promised myself if you ever found someone, I would, so you could wear yours just like I wore mine when I married Kristoff."

She held out the box. "So whenever you're ready, you wear that with Jaina, and we'll have the biggest wedding Arendelle has ever seen." Anna smirked, "I _also_ kind of saw something in the treasury that would suit Jaina well. You know, for a proper proposal and all."

Elsa's mouth dropped open, then closed, then opened again as she mimicked a fish with precise accuracy, before picking the ring out of the box and studying it. "I always wondered where you got that ring. I can't believe Mother had these…"

"She said they were something she had made when we were little," Anna explained. "I don't know what she would have done if one of us had never met anyone. I figured she'd eventually give them as a present or something in that case, but also you'd have to marry eventually anyway."

The thought made Anna frown. "That doesn't really seem fair, does it?"

"Queens sometimes have certain duties," Elsa replied sadly. She placed the ring back, then took the box from Anna. "However, the laws of Arendelle allow for alternatives should I be unable to have children for whatever reason."

"N-I-E-C-E?" Anna spelled out.

Elsa's eyes twinkled, "You saved me a lot of grief, falling in love with a good person and giving me the best niece ever because there are a limited number of women who could give me an heir, and Jaina isn't one of them."

"Do you think I'd make a good queen?" Anna asked, suddenly curious. If Elsa died or abdicated, she was next in line. Setting aside losing her sister, the thought was a daunting one for Anna and she didn't think she'd ever be prepared.

"Remind me again who's the Keeper of Arendelle?" Elsa asked, quirking her eyebrow.

"Oh yeah."

"AKA the person who's officially in charge when I'm away or indisposed?"

Anna chuckled. "Me." Elsa held her arms out, and Anna stepped into them, hugging her sister tight.

"There's no one I trust more, Anna. Even in this strange new world, with Orcs and Elves, I wouldn't trust anyone but you to steer Arendelle through it."

Sniffling Anna smacked Elsa lightly in the shoulder. "Okay, okay. I get it. Now, you need to hide that ring."

"I still need to pick out one to give to-" Elsa cut herself off, "I mean, I should at least look."

"Tomorrow," Anna giggled. "But hide box. Go find Jaina. In the meantime I need to go see what kind of mess the children have made getting our ice cream because it's been _way_ too long."

❄️

It had taken all of Jaina's considerable willpower to not cry when Elsa had invited her for game-night. It wasn't the game, as interesting as it was, but the fact that Elsa considered her enough a part of the family to include her.

Jaina hadn't felt included like that since before the Third War. Maybe since before she'd left to study in Dalaran, back in the days when she'd been Daelin's little girl and not a pariah among her family and Kul Tiras for nearly fifteen years. But here, on this distant shore, she'd found home again.

They'd won, of course, though Anna had proven more adept at both diplomacy and warfare than Jaina originally gave her credit for. That woman could be shrewd when she wanted to be, and had a competitive streak that Jaina could appreciate.

The next few days were a flurry of activity as Arendelle prepared for a party. More than just a diplomatic dinner, Elsa and Anna had wanted to have a proper celebration, with dancing and food and games and less diplomatic talk than Jaina was used to and probably more diplomatic talk than Elsa would want.

Sylvanas was among the first to arrive, and Jaina, against all logic, found herself seeking the banshee out. "Good morning, Warchief!"

"Ugh, you sound as chipper as Rapunzel."

Jaina smiled. "Just in a good mood. And you _almost_ smiled."

She was rewarded with a scowl. "What do you want, Proudmoore?"

With her Lord Admiral title effectively nullified, the only others would be Ambassador or Archmage, but Jaina didn't mind. Honestly, she'd prefer her name these days. "I wanted to talk to you. Bury the hatchet in the ground rather than in each others' backs."

Sylvanas sneered. "You got laid and you're in a good mood because of it, don't pretend otherwise."

"That has nothing to do with it." Jaina rolled her eyes. "Stop being impossible. I _read_ the reports, you know. From Corona. How well the Forsaken have been integrating. I think my favorite one was from a former Alliance Death Knight who resigned her commission to move to Plagueholm. Something about how welcoming the people were, going so far as to let some of your people stay in their homes while the towns are built up."

Ignoring the irritation on Sylvanas's face, Jaina continued, "And how even the Banshee Queen herself is greeted in the streets like a friend."

Sylvanas tensed, as though she were waiting for a barb or some insinuation or reminder of the past. A dig about Teldrassil or the Blight. But Jaina fell silent. Maybe it was the distance between them on this larger world, or the distance between the both of them and the bloody fields and seas of Azeroth.

But she could step back now and look at Sylvanas and see someone who could be, if maybe not a friend, at least not an enemy. And part of making people not be enemies is to hold one's tongue.

"You _confuse_ me," Sylvanas said, cautiously accepting the wordless olive branch. "But what you've heard is true. Both the Sin'dorei and Forsaken will thrive, alongside the people of Corona."

She looked off to the side, not directly at anything in particular. "I have forgotten what it felt like to feel certain of my footing. I am not yet sure I can _trust_ it. Not too long ago, you asked me about how I felt. About my anger and my rage. I told you it was lesser and that remains true."

Her eyes swiveled towards Jaina. "It will never burn out, Jaina. It will always be a part of me, a fire burning low, ready to be stoked under the right circumstances. Much like that which still burns deep within you."

"Anger can be healthy," Jaina pointed out. "When pointed in the right direction and when you don't let it consume you."

"If you can learn that lesson, perhaps anyone can."

A compliment. Backhanded, but still a compliment. Jaina nodded, then stepped past Sylvanas, leaving her back exposed.

A long time ago, that had gotten her an arrow in her shoulder. Today, she continued on unmolested, quietly opening the door to the kitchen. Jaina started to step inside, spied the familiar silver hair of Vereesa Windrunner, realized Rapunzel's bodyguard had her pinned against the wall, and then Jaina quietly closed the door to the kitchen.

If anyone deserved a little happiness, it was any one of the Windrunner sisters.

"Jaina!"

Jaina held her finger to her lips when Elsa approached. "Don't go into the kitchen."

"Do I want to know?"

"Just trust me on this."

Elsa laughed. "There's something I've been wanting to show you for some time now anyway, so now is as good a time as any. It's a place I like to escape to now and again."

Jaina frowned. "Are you sure you want to share this with me? Everyone needs their sanctuary."

"Trust me, it's a perfect fit for you too, and I trust you to know when I need my space and when I don't."

She gazed at Elsa for a moment, then boldly kissed her, right there in the hall in full view of anyone who might come across them. "Okay. Show me then."

Elsa giggled, face reddening, before she took Jaina's hand and started to pull her in the direction of the library.

Jaina didn't get scolded, a grin spreading across her face as she tried to imagine what that meant. She'd never been one to hide her affection in public, though she never went out of her way for it either. But Elsa was a very private person.

"Was that okay?" Jaina asked, once they were in the library.

"Was what okay?" Elsa moved towards a large statue of a horse in one corner.

"Kissing you like that."

Elsa's hand was half extended towards one of the front legs. She glanced over her shoulder. "Jaina, love, you can kiss me almost anywhere you want. I trust you to know when a situation is inappropriate."

"So no kissing you on the throne?" Jaina teased.

Elsa looked back at the statue, calling back. "I didn't say _that_. Just not when anyone is around."

Somehow, Jaina could see Elsa blushing even though her back was turned. And she knew that her own face was heating up at the thought of having Elsa on her _throne_. "You continue to surprise me."

"I have to keep you on your toes." Elsa pulled down on the leg. Gears ground somewhere nearby, and then one of the book shelves swung open like a door.

Jaina stared at it a moment, a grin spreading on her face as excitement rushed through her. She started bouncing on her heels. "You've got a secret library!"

"We found this a few years ago," Elsa said. "Anna fixed it up as sort of an escape for me." She held out her hand. "Come on!"

She grabbed Elsa's hand and let herself be led into the secret room. The shelf closed behind them, but Elsa lit a candle to give them light.

"Let me," Jaina said, quickly casting a spell that sent spheres of light dancing around the library, casting a warm glow everywhere.

Smiling, Elsa blew out the candle. "Can … those be permanent?"

"Yes. I'll do a proper spell later. We use magical lights in Dalaran for just this purpose. Less chance of burning all the scrolls and books up…" Jaina spun around slowly, trying to take everything in at once. All the shelves were carved out of the stone walls and filled with books and devices that Jaina recognized as something that would fit just as well in her own studies. The ceiling was painted with constellations, and there was a painting of a man with a sword.

Comfortable chairs and an antique work desk rounded out the rest of it.

"It's beautiful, Elsa."

"We believe it was built when the castle was." Elsa leaned against the work table, "We've found books with my mother's handwriting, translating some kind of ancient runes, and there are notebooks and drawings in my father's hand everywhere."

"What do you think they were doing?"

Elsa's smile faltered, and she twirled her fingers, causing icy sparkles to spin around Jaina's magelights. "Trying to understand my magic. Maybe find a way to help me control it."

"Or take it away," Jaina mused, picking up a piece of metal that belonged to some larger invention.

"I've wondered about that myself." Elsa wrapped her arms around herself. "Concealing my powers, my emotions, my whole _being_ didn't work and it just made everything worse. I wish I could go back and tell my eight year old self there was nothing to be afraid of, that the secret was love and kindness. That it was all just an accident…"

There were a thousand things Jaina would wish to tell her younger self if she ever had the chance.

Jaina nodded. "Fear is the most dangerous of emotions. It can hurt people because you fear they are different, it can hurt people because even if you love them … from fear comes hate."

Jaina stepped beside her as Elsa flipped through a sketchbook and stopped on a page with a sketch of what looked like magical manacles, designed to cover a person's entire hands. Elsa looked angry, with an undercurrent of sadness, before she dropped the sketchbook back onto the desk. "My own _father_ tried to make the bindings that Hans used on me."

She turned in against Jaina, "And I know _why_. He was the _King_ and Arendelle is supposed to come before even your own family. I know it was to protect our people in case I really was a monster."

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut. "It still hurts, and I can't even yell at him for it. To hear in his voice and his words why he made them." Elsa swung her hand out towards the rest of the library. "There are thousands of books and scrolls. Treatises on magic and science. Scribbled notes trying to understand my powers. Was that really the only solution he could find? Or was he just thinking like a _king_ and not a father."

She lifted a hand to her face with a full body sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't - I saw that sketch and every time I do I just…"

"Fathers are complicated," Jaina said, pulling Elsa into her arms. "We want to remember the parts of them that were good. The singing, the adoring smiles."

"What did yours do?"

Jaina snorted at Elsa's immediate assumption. "He sailed an entire fleet to Theramore in an effort to 'save' me from the Horde. His hatred and bigotry were so great he wouldn't listen to reason. I was just a young girl in his eyes, what did I know? Oh, it was the big green orcs somehow _perverting_ me."

She dropped her eyes, looking past Elsa and into her memory. "Theramore was a neutral port. The Horde were my friends, at the time. So I stayed back, and he was killed and most of the fleet sunk. I sentenced my father and hundreds of my people to death in the name of peace. Yeah, I know. _Me_ defending the Horde."

Elsa swam back into view, and Jaina followed the chain that was around her neck. Gently, she fingered the anchor. "For so long now, I questioned what I did. I felt as though all that death had been for nothing, but now, I _remember_ why I acted as I did. Hope. Hope for peace, hope for a better world. I _became_ my father, but you saved me."

"Sometimes, I like to pretend they sailed off trying to find a better way to help me," Elsa admitted. She reached back to undo the clasp on the pendent. "I should give this back to you."

"No." Jaina caught her hands, "Keep it. I'd much rather see it as a symbol of the future rather than a reminder of the past."

And as she said that, she picked up King Agnarr's sketchpad. With little fanfare, she ripped the page with the bindings out and held it aloft as it started to burn. She didn't ask if Elsa had thought about doing this; she probably already had. But it was still a link to the past and the past was so hard to let go of. "There will never be a need to put you in shackles, Elsa. There _never_ was."

Elsa watched until the magical fire had consumed the entire page. Her watery eyes slid to Jaina as her fingers closed around the anchor pendant. "Here I was, excited to show you this place, and I dredge up bad memories for both of us."

"There's never anything wrong with sharing with each other." Jaina grinned, raising both of her eyebrows. "This place reminds me of my old study in Theramore. And those are _good_ memories."

"So maybe we can make some good ones of our own in here," Elsa decided. She pulled out of Jaina's arms, and then guided her over to one of the shelves. "I've been _dying_ to know what your opinion is of this."


	21. Best Laid Plans

Diplomacy was exhausting, Elsa thought. Which was one reason why she was excited for the ball. At least _this_ one shouldn't end with ice everywhere and an eternal winter. There was always the chance someone might take umbrage at someone else, but that was common enough at just about any royal function.

Though at most royal functions most of the participants didn't have some kind of awe-inspiring power. Elsa pushed that worry out of her mind, as she had far more _mundane_ problems at the moment.

"I don't know what you're so worried about," Anna said, putting her own hair up with pins. "It's a gorgeous dress."

"They both are."

"Yeah, but you've _got_ to wear that one."

Elsa looked at it, chewing her lip in thought. "Are you sure?"

"It's different, yes. But I think you should take the risk." Anna put an arm around her waist, "Plus it'll show off the old decolletage."

"I don't exactly have a lot to show off."

"The dress'll take care of that," Anna assured her.

Elsa looked at her sister. "But the color?"

"It's _different_."

"You don't like it."

"What?" Anna shook her. "No! It'll look great on you! Just different."

"Okay, okay." Elsa let out a breath, "I'll wear it!"

"Great! Do you want some help with your hair? I can, or I can locate Gerda, she's a master at hair."

"I was thinking of just leaving my hair down. Jaina is always taking it down for me." Elsa chewed on her lip again, afraid of how Anna might react to a change like that and feeling very self-conscious about it.

"Wow. You are _absolutely_ smitten, sis." She winked at Elsa, then started for the door, "Good idea! It'll save her that effort."

"Anna!"

Anna pulled the door open, ducking out just before a snowball could hit her. Elsa waved the splattered snow away, then picked up the dress. She _had_ gotten it specially made, after all. And as nervous as she was, she wanted to see Jaina's face when she saw her.

It was really the strangest feeling. Elsa had snow flurries in her stomach, but she was _excited_ too, understanding the way Anna sometimes fussed over herself for Kristoff. Elsa had always told Anna that Kristoff wouldn't care and he loved her anyway.

But then Kristoff would stare at Anna, stunned, and Anna would give her a smug I-told-you-so look.

Elsa hadn't really understood that kind of impression until now, as anticipation made her wonder how Jaina would react. She was positive Jaina loved and cared about her regardless of what she was wearing but…

Oh God, what if she hated it?"

Elsa glared at her reflection. "Don't do that. Don't spiral."

Of course, it had no response for her, and she nodded firmly, before stripping down to her bare skin and then pulling the dress on over her head. She adjusted the hang and smoothed out the fabric. Like most of her gowns, it exposed her shoulders and throat, and in this one her arms were bare as well. Unlike most, there was an actual neckline that dipped low, Jaina's pendant hanging above her sternum and drawing the eye still lower. Elsa's skin darkened when she noticed and she took several breaths.

Jaina was going to _die_ when she saw her, she realized, giddiness flooding her as her doubts faded away.

But the gown needed something _more_. Her magic danced around the fabric, adding gold highlights to compliment the color and giving the dress a shimmering, sparkling sheen. Next, she placed one of her tiaras on her head. Elsa had several, plus the too-heavy crown, and knew she couldn't make any appearance without one. This one was gold and held a sapphire with two diamonds to either side of it and it felt fitting.

She checked her make-up, her magic keeping it all in place as usual, and then caught herself before she left. She was missing the most _important_ accessory; with a flourish of her hands, a long, sheer cape flowed like water from her shoulders and trailed behind her as she stepped out of her bedroom.

Thus armed and armored, Elsa walked down the hallway, following the sound of music and conversation that emanated from the ballroom. It was a bit late now but Elsa wondered if holding this so close to Christmas and her inevitable birthday dance was wise but knew any reason to celebrate was good for the people. She glanced at the clock and stood at the doors for another minute before she signaled the guards to open it.

The one on the left struggled to keep her eyes on Elsa's face, but the other simply smiled at the Queen as he held open the door. "I believe that Lady Proudmoore has already arrived, your Majesty."

Giving the first guard the gift of pretending not to notice, she smiled at the second. "Thank you, Peter."

Almost as soon as she stepped inside, conversation ground to a halt.

"Holy _shit_," Anna exclaimed, her voice echoing through the silent ballroom. She clapped a hand over her mouth as Kristoff tried very, very hard not to start laughing.

Elsa raised her eyebrow. "Carry on?"

Someone in the back might have swooned, and Elsa hoped it wasn't super obvious how hard she was blushing. But aside from the initial reaction, everyone returned to what they'd been doing before, besides casting the occasional glance in her direction. It was quite honestly very reassuring.

She started to move through the crowd, greeting people while trying to find Jaina. There were Anduin and Baine, engaged in a friendly chat with Queen Greymane. No Jaina.

She spied Khadgar in a circle with several of the mages, all of them dressed in the most elaborate robes imaginable. Also no Jaina. She lingered with them for a few moments, mostly to be polite, but also because the tall one with elegant horns had an interest in music that Elsa shared.

Eventually excusing herself, she resumed her search for Jaina, wondering if the guard had been wrong. As she moved, Elsa could feel eyes on her, and as she skirted the edge of the dance floor she spotted Sylvanas staring at her. The Warchief inclined her head as she approached. "Red. The color suits you."

"Thank you. Jaina suggested it." Elsa responded, itching to get _Jaina's_ reaction.

"_Really?_" Sylvanas's eyes dipped low, fixing on the pendant, "You still wear Proudmoore's anchor."

"I'm her anchor." Elsa held her chin high, as if to challenge Sylvanas.

"Sylvie!" Rapunzel glided off the dance floor, Eugene in tow. "It's your turn!"

Sylvanas started. "Wait, what?"

But Rapunzel grabbed her hand and dragged her out onto the floor, the Warchief casting a look at Elsa almost as if asking for help. _Almost_.

Exasperated, Elsa turned to Eugene. "Do you know where Jaina is?"

Eugene chuckled, jerking his chin towards the northwestern corner. "She's over there. _Pretty_ sure you broke her when you made your entrance. Gives me fond memories of this time Goldie wore this one dress to the Geese Ball."

"Thanks." Elsa hurried in that direction, and finally, _finally_ saw Jaina.

Jaina looked as though she couldn't tear her eyes from Elsa. Elsa tried not to run over, or hurry over, or otherwise draw any attention to herself that wasn't from Jaina. So she approached slowly, almost shyly, until she was standing in front of her. "Hey."

"Hey…" Jaina jerked her eyes up to Elsa's, obviously struggling to find appropriate words.

"What do you think?"

"You look beautiful." Jaina wet her lips, looking Elsa over with fawning adoration. Her expression made Elsa's pulse race and her breath shorten. If they weren't in a room full of people she would have launched herself into Jaina's arms.

"Not half as beautiful as you are," Elsa countered, finally. And it was true. Jaina wore a gown of green and white, with long, flowy sleeves. Her neckline was a sharp vee, and though she lacked anything to draw the eye Elsa couldn't help but stare.

She lifted her gaze, and then took Jaina's hands.

"Elsa," Jaina murmured, a nervous sort of joy on her face. She let out a breath, then looked around at the rest of the ballroom. "Look what you did."

"Mm?" Elsa turned and looked as well. There was more mingling now; Horde with Alliance, Arendelleans and Coronans dancing with Orcs and Draenei and Elves. A werewolf was tearing up the dance floor with a Forsaken.

"I didn't do anything," she said, after observing. "I simply made sure that you all had time to stop trying to kill each other."

"Still. This is nice to see after decades of war, and after losing almost everybody and everything."

Maybe that was part of it. Elsa didn't know what it would do to them in the years to come, the survivor's guilt and the questions of what if they'd done something different. She resolved to help search for healthy ways to cope.

"Do you want to dance?" Jaina asked.

"I don't dance," Elsa responded automatically. Then she blinked, and looked back at Jaina, "But I'm willing to learn if you're willing to lead."

Elsa didn't have to fear _discovery_. They all knew her powers, and she wasn't going to hide Jaina either, even if she hadn't exactly been super public with her either. Jaina guided her to the dance floor, and she slipped her arms around her as they started to dance. Elsa could tell how badly her lover had wanted to touch her just in the way her hands trembled against her hip and back.

They went through two or three dances, Elsa learning quickly and finding herself enjoying the symmetry and artistry of it, and yet wanting to have Jaina alone more and more with every passing moment. And then Anna cut in, whirling her around at a breakneck pace that left her dizzy. She got Anna to drag Jaina around too and retreated back to the corner to recover, with a smile on her face and the slight case of the giggles.

Anna was the more social and outgoing of the two of them, and a party like this was like catnip for her. Elsa smiled, watching as two of the people she loved the most spun around together.

She tried to catch Anna's eyes, raising her eyebrows and tilting her head. Anna grinned back, and danced Jaina over to her. She took Elsa's hand and placed it in Jaina's, then winked. "Here you go, returned safe and sound."

"Thank you, Anna." Elsa squeezed Jaina's hand, glancing at her meaningfully. "I think I need some air."

"Uh huh," Anna replied. "We'll be fine."

"Do me a favor." Jaina's hair was askew from all the dancing, and she eyed Anna like she was planning some sort of revenge. "Make sure to dance with Tyrande at least once."

Anna darted her eyes, then skipped off. Jaina's shoulders sagged. "I love your sister but she has more energy than you and me combined."

"Yeah," Elsa said. "But it's part of her charm." Quickly looking around, Elsa tugged on Jaina's hand. "Come this way."

A tapestry hung near the wall, with just enough room behind it for a person. Jaina grinned suggestively, nearly pinning Elsa to the wall before Elsa ducked out from under her arm. Smiling back, she put her finger over her lip, then pressed a hidden panel. A door slid open.

Once inside, Elsa returned the door to its normal place and whispered, "Follow me."

"I should have known," Jaina murmured, her hands on Elsa's hips and thumbs stroking at the fabric of her gown in a way that made it increasingly difficult to think straight. Wanting to see just how far she could push Jaina, she slowed. Jaina bumped into her back and before she could so much as take a breath, Jaina had her pressed against the wall, the stone cool against her face and palms.

Elsa shivered, Jaina's hands moving with reckless abandon just about everywhere she could reach. Jaina caressed her sides and hips, stroked her fingers along the curve of her rear and then squeezed her breast with one hand while the other hiked up her skirt. She ground her hips back against Jaina, tilting her head at the feel of Jaina's breath on her neck, ragged and heavy.

"Jaina," Elsa gasped, her skirts pulled high enough for Jaina's hand to be able to reach the bare skin of her thigh and the sensation was enough to make her knees weak..

Jaina's hand stilled. "Do you want me to stop?"

In response, Elsa put her hand over Jaina's and pushed it up her thigh, to where she was already warm and wanting and completely lacking in any kind of undergarment. Jaina groaned in her ear as she realized, wasting no time in moving her fingers caressing gently at first, almost frustratingly so. Elsa whined, moving her hips desperately and hoping for Jaina to get the hint. She needed her and she needed her now or she was quite certain she'd die.

Jaina gently covered Elsa's mouth with her other hand as she sank two fingers into her. Muffled, Elsa groaned, then flicked her tongue at Jaina's hand until Jaina moved it just enough that she could suck a finger into her mouth.

And then the only sound in that passage was their gasps and Elsa's muffled moans, Jaina seeming determined to push Elsa over the edge as quickly as possible. The pressure built quickly, Elsa's head spinning as her body sang under Jaina's minestrations. She came around Jaina's fingers in what felt like almost no time at all. Her legs gave out, but she didn't fall, not with Jaina holding her propped up against the wall.

Elsa laughed, rolling her head back against Jaina's shoulder. "I _thought_ we'd at least make it to my room."

"You cheated," Jaina whispered, kissing the shell of her ear.

"How?"

Carefully, Jaina picked Elsa up and held her in her arms. "By being so irresistible."

"How do you know this wasn't all part of my plan?" Elsa put her arm around Jaina's shoulder, gazing tenderly at her. With every passing hour she found herself loving her more. She thought about the way Jaina had let her keep the pendant, knowing what it meant to her.

"…You had a plan?"

Elsa grinned, cupping Jaina's face and stroking her cheek with her thumb. "Well it _was_ supposed to get us as far as my room."

Jaina kissed her cheek. "I love you. Now how do we get to your room?"

She pointed. "A few meters that way."

The passage let them in just behind Elsa's mirror. Jaina carried her over and sat her on the bed. Elsa leaned back on her hands, crossing her ankles and gazing up at her. She said nothing, waiting for Jaina to get her wordless hint.

Slowly, Jaina shrugged out of her dress and Elsa drank in every inch of flesh as it became exposed. She could tell Jaina was trembling, and started to slip out of her own dress. But Jaina held up her hand. "Wait. Let me."

"Okay."

Jaina finished undressing, then approached the bed. She leaned down, kissing Elsa, hands roaming up her stomach and chest and back down again. Elsa groaned, digging her fingers into the covers as Jaina touched her.

_Finally_, just when Elsa was sure she was going to lose her mind, Jaina started to undress her. She was careful not to damage the dress, getting it off of Elsa without breaking their kiss for more than a few seconds at a time.

With nothing but skin between them, Elsa pulled Jaina onto the bed, rolling them over and straddling her in very nearly the same smooth movement. Jaina laughed, lifting her hands to play with Elsa's hair. Like she was amazed by Elsa. Which was okay, because Elsa was amazed by Jaina, and wanted very much for Jaina to understand that.

"What is it, baby?" Jaina drew the backs of her knuckles down Elsa's cheek and Elsa realized she'd gotten lost in staring at her.

"I'm just … admiring you." Elsa pressed her palm over Jaina's heart. "All of you." She trailed her fingers over the left breast, and then across her stomach and back up to her right.

"Are you sure that's all of me? Because you're easily distracted by my breasts."

"Hush." Elsa put her finger over Jaina's lips. "I admit I've sometimes had a hard time understanding romance. But then I met you and it was like something _clicked_."

"Like we're two puzzle pieces from different puzzles that somehow fit together."

"Something like that." Elsa smiled, shushing Jaina again. "But now I've met my person. My equal. Intellectually, physically, you compliment me without drowning me out, which is something I've always kind of feared. It happened in books, even the fairy tales with happy endings. I never wanted that kind of faux happy ending, and I was content with what I had. My sister, Kristoff. Iduna and our people. I think I still would be, if you can understand that because that doesn't mean I would want a life without you now."

Jaina nodded, but kept silent before Elsa needed to hush her again.

"I want that." Elsa said, chewing on her lip and fidgeting her hands on Jaina's stomach. She got up off of Jaina and the bed, and walked quickly over to her dresser. Jaina propped herself up to watch her.

"I want a life with you, if you want the same thing."

"Elsa?" Jaina asked, in that sort of way someone did when they thought they knew what was happening but were absolutely terrified of being wrong.

Elsa returned to the bed and crawled back in, sitting on both knees next to Jaina. She opened her hand, a silver ring in her palm. The diamond was simple, but the filigree resembled waves all around it. Her other hand clutched the anchor pendant, and she was quick to add, "It doesn't have to be right away, you only arrived last winter, but I feel so _certain_\- Jaina?"

Jaina was staring at her, tears flowing freely down her face. Elsa moved closer, shifting her legs so that she was sitting on Jaina's right side, facing her. Was this good? Bad? Elsa tried to fight down a surge of uncertain panic. She'd been so _sure_, for once in her life when it came to herself she'd been so sure-Jaina's lips met hers, brief, but firm and through a tight, thick voice, she said, "Yes, I'll marry you."

Hugging Jaina, Elsa laughed in relief and found herself starting to cry too. "You started crying and I got a little worried there for a second…"

"Do you know what I wanted when I was a fifteen year old girl?" Jaina asked, smiling as Elsa wiped at her eyes. "Well I wanted to be Archmage of Dalaran, but I also wanted a gigantic wedding to a handsome prince in the biggest wedding dress imaginable."

"A Queen is kind of an upgrade," Elsa pointed out, her smile so big it was making her face hurt. She really did need to dig through Arendellian law to figure out what sort of titles Jaina would gain to go with her previous ones, but if she was honest, it was probably the least important thing to either of them.

"Better than I ever dreamed possible." Jaina wriggled her fingers with a girlish smile. "Do the ring thing, please please _please_ do the ring thing."

Elsa slid the ring onto Jaina's finger, studying Jaina's face as she did so. She wasn't sure she'd ever actually seen Jaina this happy before, and she'd had many occasions to see (and make) Jaina happy. She put her hand on Jaina's leg. "I found that ring in the vaults, after searching for hours for just the right one. I was afraid I'd have to have one commissioned, but it would have probably looked a lot like this."

Jaina gazed at the ring, then at Elsa. She was silent for a long moment and Elsa said nothing, allowing her fiancée (a word that suddenly struck home in an unexpected, but happy way), time to compose her thoughts.

"You could give me something made of ice and it would be perfect," Jaina said. "Or nothing at all. All I want is a life with you too. Everything else I can make for myself, but I'd like to have you there at my side while I do."

"Let's just make it together."


	22. The Battle at Town Square

Anna walked through the village, smiling in greeting at the people she passed. Over by the baker was an orc dressed like Father Christmas, with a blonde sin'dorei helper leaning on his shoulder, golden eyes sparkling with merriment.

The elf's red costume covered somewhat less than what was appropriate for the weather, but she seemed comfortable enough and the kids running around were having a blast of a snowball fight. And if Anna was honest with herself she was nice to look at, with very long legs and elegantly pointed ears.

She might legitimately be into elf-ears.

The orc was impressive to look at too, but it was obvious he only had eyes for his golden lady and she for him and Anna thought about herself and Kristoff, and smiled.

A goblin walked by, flicking a lighter open and closed as he listened to a local woman. "So far, the Yule Goat has almost made it to the Queen's birthday without burning down! It'll be a new record! Would you like to see it?"

"I'd love to," he replied, eyes glinting.

Anna eyed him, but before she could say anything, someone ran into her.

"Sorry!"

She grinned at Jaina. "Hey, what are you up to?"

"Defending myself," Jaina responded, grabbing Anna and lifting her up so she took the brunt of a snowball barrage.

"Nice." Anna rolled her eyes. "Put me down and if you're lucky I'll help you out of this mess."

"Elsa is around here somewhere," Jaina said, looking over Anna's shoulder and exchanging a nod and a smile with the orc and elf couple who, she was certain, would happily repopulate the Horde all by themselves. "Wow, she would look _really_ good in that…"

"I'm right here and that's my sister you're talking about."

"Uh. You'd look good too?"

"Not what I meant, but you know what? I'll take it." Might be a nice little thing to do for Kristoff, actually. Anna grinned to herself and made a mental note to ask the elf where she'd gotten that outfit.

Jaina put her down and they both ran for cover as the rest of the children spotted her. Anna dove behind a snowbank and started to roll up a supply of snowballs for them. "Have you thought about what to get for Elsa for her birthday?"

"I'm not sure yet." Jaina picked up a snowball, turning it over and over in her hand. "I can't believe I've been here eleven months."

A tiny portal formed in front of them and Jaina threw the ball through it. One of the children across the square shouted in surprise.

"Oh my God." Anna laughed as Jaina winked at her.

"Any ideas?" Jaina created more portals, and Anna started tossing snowballs through them. Snowballs started falling from portals in the sky, forcing a horde of screaming, laughing children to dive for cover.

"Nope, you've gotta figure it out all on your own," Anna told her. A ring on Jaina's finger sparkled in the sunlight and Anna dropped her snowball. She grabbed Jaina's hand. She _recognized_ this ring. "Wait, _what?_ Is this? It is!"

She grabbed Jaina by the shoulders. "Are you engaged? Did she propose? She actually proposed! I didn't expect it so soon, or maybe ever, I mean let's be honest here my sister is a little emotionally constipated most days and I know I gave her my blessing but I figured Iduna would be like forty before-"

Jaina was staring at her, eyes wide and expression vulnerable. "You gave us your blessing?"

"Duh?" Anna grinned at her, covering Jaina's hand with both of hers. "She's so smitten with you, and you've been just … so good for her. And it's pretty obvious she's been good for you too and I know it's not even been a year but… You okay?"

"I'm fine," Jaina replied, wiping her eyes with a finger.

Anna leaned in, hugging her tightly. She wasn't sure what else to say, or even if she should. But Anna knew loneliness as well as her sister did, and Jaina had always struck her as particularly lonely. So she was happy for her. Not just happy for Elsa, but happy for Jaina too.

A shadow passed over them, and Anna looked up to see a snowball the size of Kristoff's sled hanging over their heads. "Uh, Jaina? I think Elsa found us."

❄️

Jaina was pretty sure that using ice magic was even more of a cheat than thinking with portals, but who was she to call the Queen out in public?

She dug her way out of the snow, and peeked up trying to locate where her fiancée was attacking from. She saw her over by Father Christmas with a small army of children.

"Et tu, Galnir?" Jaina murmured, when she saw the orc helping the children build an arsenal of snowballs. His mate waved her hands over them, enchanting them with some kind of light spell that made them glow and sparkle. And then, just to show off, Elsa added her own sparkly magic to the snow.

Ducking back down, Jaina explained the situation. "Okay, we're outmanned and outgunned. Elsa's enlisted Galnir and Minuial and if they're as good at snowball fights as actual battle, we're in serious trouble."

Anna started to dig a hole in her snowbank. "So, do you have a plan?"

"I can make us a couple of water elementals, with the right adjustment to the spell they can shoot snowballs. That'll keep some of the kids occupied for awhile."

This was a thousand times better than any real battle Jaina had ever participated in.

Anna nodded, and finished making her hole. She peeked through it and scowled, "Elsa made Galnir a snow-axe!" Anna stood up and shouted, "No melee weapons!"

Jaina yanked Anna back down just before a dozen snowballs would have hit her. "They're trying to bait us."

"Can't you do some more ice stuff?" Anna asked.

"I'm outclassed by your sister. And she's really creative so we have to be ready for anything." Jaina started positioning her elementals, keeping them out of sight to be used when she needed the element of surprise.

She heard Elsa's magic again, and the kids started giggling. They were joined by the musical notes of Minuial's laughter and the deeper guffawing from Galnir.

What was Elsa up to now? Jaina transmuted a stick into a periscope and used it to peek up out of their shelter.

Cruising towards them on the snow was a little ship made of ice, with three children manning snow cannons. Jaina turned the periscope towards Elsa, who smiled deviously and wriggled her fingers as if to greet her.

Jaina sank back down into the snow and started to laugh.

"Do I want to know?"

"I told her a story about something I did once," Jaina said, shoulders shaking as she tried to contain her laughter. "I'll tell it to you over hot chocolate sometime."

"Ooo~kay." Anna raised her eyebrows and took a peek through her snow hole again. "So what are we gonna do?"

"We need to even the odds somehow," Jaina said, as the snow cannons on the ice ship started peppering their position with snowballs. She heard Elsa giggling across the square and tried to keep a straight face as that rare thing called 'joy' flooded her.

Anna rubbed her chin. "Speaking of chocolate … I've got a plan. But I need you to distract them."

"Give me two minutes and then go," Jaina said, shifting onto her knees. "I have a spell, and I haven't used it since I was a kid. Actually, I came up with it myself." She grinned sheepishly as she worked the spell, making modifications on the fly. But Jaina didn't change it entirely; there was something charming about this spell, how raw and child-like it was.

And now, especially now, it was the child-like wonder she wanted.

At exactly the two minute mark, Jaina got to her feet and ran out of cover, her elementals popping up and targeting the ice-ship. But swirling around Jaina were a hundred snowballs. They danced and spun around her, and as soon as she saw Elsa she flung her hands forward. The snowballs twirled through the air, right for Elsa, Galnir and Minuial.

Elsa laughed, catching them with her own magic and sending them flying back towards Jaina. Jaina had expected that, and she pirouetted on her heel, catching the snowballs and building their momentum around her before they sailed back at Elsa.

Back and forth the snowballs went, glowing in blues and whites as Elsa and Jaina's magics intertwined and interacted with each other, snowflakes blowing off of each snowball like azure trails.

And then a snowball hit Elsa in the side of the face. And another. And another. And still more as all the children started throwing snowballs at the Queen until, finally, two more hit her from behind.

"_Et tu_?!" Elsa cried as Galnir doubled over laughing.

That distraction was really all Jaina needed to send a hundred snowballs crashing into Elsa.

She disappeared under an avalanche of snow, flurries twisting around in every direction and kicking up a mini-blizzard in the square. Just as suddenly as they spun up, the twisters subsided, the blown snow falling silently back to earth.

One of Elsa's feet stuck out of the magically created snow drift, an icy, glittering heel hanging off of one toe.

Olaf sidled up to Jaina and stage-whispered, "I think you just committed treason."

"Elsa?" Anna called out, rushing over to where her sister was. She dug at the snow, looking concerned. "Are you all right?"

"The sentence for treason is death," Olaf provided. "Section three, sub-section two, paragraph seven."

"Thank you, Olaf," Jaina said, rolling her eyes as she ran over to Elsa and Anna. "Elsa, baby? I'm sorry. Please don't be mad."

The snow floated up into the air, turning into a crystalline shower. Elsa had gotten to her feet and was looking at Anna and Jaina with an amused expression on her face. She lifted her chin in an attempt to regain her dignity. "Well you won. But at what cost?"

"A whole lot of chocolate treats," Anna admitted.

"Bribery?" Jaina asked.

Anna looked sheepish. "I didn't think you'd _mind_."

Elsa started to laugh, wrapping an arm around Anna and then her other around Jaina. Jaina was relieved that Elsa was neither hurt, nor mad at them. She jerked her chin towards the chocolate shop. "Lets pay off the bribes and then head home?"

"Yeah!" Anna grinned. "And there are things we should talk about, like when you're having the wedding."

"The-" Elsa looked at Jaina.

"She saw the ring," Jaina explained. "Sorry?"

"It's okay, I know she would have told me sooner rather than later," Anna assured them. She pulled them towards the chocolate shop and Jaina wondered how much was going to pay off the children and the Orc and how much was going to be sent directly to the castle.

"So?" Anna prompted as they stepped inside. "When?"

"Spring," Jaina and Elsa answered, exactly at the same time.

"Not this spring," Elsa clarified. "But the one after."

❄️

If Elsa was honest, she'd pretty much stopped counting her birthdays after twenty-five. If she had her way, she wouldn't actually celebrate it; but Anna would never let her have her way, at least not in this.

Oh no, when Elsa had a birthday, there was a _party_, with singing, and a giant cake that could probably fit a person but why would anyone want to ruin a chocolate cake by bursting out of it? Regardless, she tolerated the whole thing because it seemed to make her subjects happy and mostly because it made Anna happy. Even if they'd already had a ball just a month or two prior.

Elsa had her own plans, of course, that involved unwrapping Jaina from that incredible gown she was wearing later, but for now, she made her appearance, had a dance with her sister, and then retreated to safety before someone else could make her dance. Elsa reserved dancing for Jaina, Anna, and maybe heads of state.

Elsa folded her hands behind her back and second guessed her decision to take her hair down.

She had received a number of well wishes from the Horde and Alliance, and hoped that none of them would have the time or inclination to make an appearance, only for that hoped to be dashed when Sylvanas and Anduin walked in.

Together.

Elsa was pretty sure Jaina almost choked to death on her champagne, but as far as she was concerned that was _growth_ and a very good sign. She watched in amusement as the King stole her fiancée for a dance and then with growing unease as Sylvanas approached her.

Oh no.

"You escaped before I had a chance last time," Sylvanas said, "but you owe me a dance."

Elsa owed her no such thing, and it was her birthday and she could not dance if she wanted to. But _Anna_ was on the other side of the room and thus too far away to foist onto Sylvanas and turning down the Warchief of the Horde was bad diplomacy.

Besides, Elsa liked to lead by example, so she offered her arm. "Lead on."

If Sylvanas felt any surprise, she hid it well, taking Elsa by the arm. "Princess Rapunzel wished me to relay her sincerest apologies for being unable to attend. Fortunately, I am due in Dalaran tomorrow, so I came a day early."

"How _is_ my cousin," Elsa asked, noting a slight reaction at her hair being down. Sylvanas led, and Elsa kept up well enough, more uncomfortable with the act of dancing than who her partner was. Even with Jaina she was only able to lose herself in it because of who her partner was.

Sylvanas's eyes always resembled some distant red stars, or perhaps the planet Mars. They showed no emotion as the Warchief replied, "Well enough. Are you concerned, Your Majesty? Is this where you threaten me if I hurt her?"

"There's a place called Ahtohollan," Elsa replied casually. "My mother used to sing of it. No one would find your frozen body."

Her comment seemed to amuse Sylvanas, and those red stars glinted in their dark sockets. "My interest is _purely_ political. I'm even willing to admit it's refreshing to speak to someone who looks at my people and sees _people_."

"The Forsaken - hand above my waist please and not too far - The Forsaken have been through things I can scarcely imagine. I'm happy that you found a place, Warchief." Elsa wondered if Sylvanas was functionally incapable of not digging at cracks in other people, and what might happen if someone started prying _her_ apart.

And she really, _really_ wanted to see that.

"I want to believe that you mean that," Sylvanas said, her fingers digging into Elsa's skin. "Maybe a part of me does but maybe another part of me remembers how easily trust can be broken."

Elsa looked up at her, studying the red stars. And she took a page from her cousin, a page that she hoped others might too.

There was no hate in her words, no fear, only kindness and respect. "Trust, Sylvanas, is something we have to work at, day by day and week by week. It never stops, but the effort is worth it."

Sylvanas pursed her lips, and then nodded, once.

Elsa simply smiled.


	23. Solstice

Jealousy was a remarkably _mundane_ emotion, Jaina realized. She stepped away from Anduin, tracking Sylvanas and her fiancée as they moved around in their dance.

And that was all she felt at the moment.

Jealousy.

It was stupid, she knew. To be jealous of anyone really, let alone _Sylvanas_. But she felt it, and then ignored it, mostly.

Jaina waited for a lull before cutting in, flashing a taunting smile at Sylvanas before she whisked Elsa away. "How did she finagle a dance out of you?"

"She asked nicely," Elsa replied, one eyebrow quirked and a matching half-smile on her face as she threaded her arms around Jaina's shoulders in an almost shameless display of public affection. "Are you really jealous?"

It wasn't really a dance so much as swaying while wrapped up together and Jaina needed a few seconds to remember how to breathe. "Kind of. A little."

Elsa's smile was soft and amused, "She's not my type."

"What's your type?" Jaina ran her hands down Elsa's sides, then looped her arms around her waist.

"Nerdy mages," Elsa said, cheeks coloring. "With freckles all over, eyes like the sea, and impressive…" Her eyes darted down, to exposed, freckled skin, then back up. "You know."

"Tracts of land?" Jaina asked, grinning.

"That's one way to put it."

Jaina lifted her hand to stroke the side of Elsa's face and then slide her fingers into her hair, "Your hair is down."

"I wanted to try something different. Do you like it?" Elsa appeared to be confident, but Jaina could sense a slight undercurrent of anxiety.

She didn't think Elsa needed to worry. "I love it. But I'd love anything you did with your hair. Is this what you want? Because I don't want you doing something you don't like just to appease me."

"It's a new world. Time for a change" Elsa leaned into Jaina's hand for just a moment. "It's not like I can't put it back up if I decide I don't like it."

True, Elsa hadn't cut it. Jaina nodded, then stepped away as they finished their dance and she delivered Elsa to her sister. "There's something I need to do, and you probably shouldn't disappear from _this_ party."

Anna covered her mouth, face turning red from the effort to not burst into loud laughter. Elsa's face was red too, for entirely different reasons. She made a shooeing motion, but Jaina ignored it, leaning in close and whispering in her ear, "When the party winds down, find me."

"Lord Admiral," Sylvanas said, sweeping by and dragging Jaina out to dance.

So much for escaping quickly. She leveled a gaze at the Warchief. "I have plans."

"One dance," Sylvanas promised. "Then you can prepare for whatever debauchery you have planned for your woman."

"You certainly have a way with words, Windrunner." Jaina tried to lead at first, but found that a bit like fighting a storm, so she gave up and let Sylvanas have that little victory.

"There's something I want to ask you."

"I'm spoken for and she doesn't share."

Sylvanas snorted. "I want you and your woman to visit Corona this spring. See … Blighton, and the rest of what I have built."

There was an unexpected sincerity in Sylvanas's eyes. And something not unlike uncertainty. "May I ask what prompted this?"

"Trust is something to be worked on." Sylvanas spun Jaina around, then pulled her close enough that Jaina couldn't quite stop her body's reaction to that. Yet Sylvanas either didn't notice, or chose not to call her on it. "This is a large world, large enough for all of us. But there was a time, a long time ago, before both our lives were destroyed, when we might have been allies, if not friends. See what I am building, Proudmoore, and maybe we can finally understand each other. And if it makes you feel better, I plan to ask your little lion to join us."

_Sylvanas Windrunner_ was offering an olive branch and something ugly inside Jaina balked, and screamed against the very idea. She could only imagine that the screaming at the back of Sylvanas's mind was just as ugly. But trust was something to be worked on, true, and Jaina wondered what might have been without the blood and the fire. "Let's make it the equinox."

It was a lot to think about, and worry about, but there'd be ample time for that later, with the equinox three months away. Jaina let her mind wander as she strode out of the castle and then teleported to Dalaran. Azeroth's equinoxes and solstices had been at different times of year, due to the size and axial tilt being so different from Earth's.

She snapped herself out of it before her mind could go down that rabbit hole, though she did summon a floating quill and notebook to write down her thoughts to pursue later.

In the meantime, she needed a few reagents to finish Elsa's present, and to stop into a shop to get Elsa's other present. The reagents were the easy part, even if she did have to ask Wolfsong for one of them in return for a favor.

The hard part, though, was a little shop in a back alley of Dalaran. Jaina looked up at the sign, and the enchanted image of a dancing Draenei out front, and sighed before she walked in.

A cheerful voice greeted her, "Welcome to Varja's of Shattrath! Oh! Archmage!" A Draenei woman emerged from behind a counter. She was voluptuous, with dark hair and skin that reminded Jaina of the sky at dusk. One of her horns had been snapped off, matching a burn scar down the side of her face, to her neck, that then disappeared under modest clothing.

Several elementals were milling about the store and appearing to be … working, "Can Varja do you… Varja means, help you with?"

So a Shaman then. Jaina nodded at her and smiled nervously. "I'd like to blow my fiancée's mind."

"I think you can by existing, darling." The woman grinned at her, "But let Varja help you. Impressing a Queen is the opportunity of a lifetime!"

Assuming that this was in fact the mysterious Varja, Jaina allowed herself to be led further into the shop. "I don't need, uhm…" Her eyes landed on a rack of toys and she remembered the time in the office, turning beet red. "I want to look nice."

"Varja would suggest the enchanted one," Varja remarked. "But Varja is thinking that that is one area you would not need help with."

"Yes, well. I'm good. At enchanting things." Jaina sighed, wishing she'd done this last week, "Can we move along?"

Laughing, Varja started to pile fabric into Jaina's arms. "Here, here. Oh and this would look good with your hair. A little gold, beautiful! Try them on, try them on! Let Varja be the judge."

And just like that Jaina found herself shoved into a dressing room. There was a mirror on one wall, waiting, judging, and it felt cramped. Jaina rubbed her face and started to look through her armfuls of underwear.

The first one she dismissed out of hand; it looked like something better suiting Sylvanas. But with Varja's help, she eventually settled on something that actually made her feel as sexy as Elsa thought she was.

Varja ushered her out the door, tucking something into Jaina's bag as she did so. "Good luck, darling. Tell all your friends about Varja!"

The door swung shut behind Jaina, leaving her feeling a little dazed. She checked the time, then teleported back to the castle, quickly retreating to her room and tossing the bag onto her bed. She paused for a moment, looking at the bed, chewing her lip and wondering exactly how improper it would be to actually move into Elsa's room. She spent most nights there anyway, and they were engaged.

"Okay, enough distraction." Jaina took a seat at her desk and pulled over a little box. "I need to finish this thing."

It was a simple enough spell, one that Jaina had learned ages ago, in the before times. Before Theramore, before Stratholme, when she'd been young and idealistic, barely old enough to dream about weddings. Years and experience had hardened her, but years and experience also served to improve upon the spell. Make it lasting. Make it permanent.

And then, carefully, Jaina packed the gift back into its box, wrapped it in enchanted paper, and finally got up to change. She didn't think she had much time left before Elsa came searching for her, but she'd also talked Anna into helping keep her busy and distracted long enough to get the present put together; though she hadn't told Anna about what was in the bag.

Anna was smart enough to guess there'd be hanky panky involved anyway, but Jaina preferred not to encourage that.

She'd barely had time to pull her dress back on and loosen her braid before there came a knock on her door. Jaina stared at it, then laughed at herself for being shocked. "Yes?"

Elsa's voice was both a balm and an accelerant. "Jaina?"

She pulled the door open. "Who else?"

"It could have been anyone." Elsa stepped in, closing the door behind her and running her fingers through her gorgeous mane of hair. "I swear Anna had a thousand little games for me to do on my birthday. Not that I mind, spending time with Anna is the best part of my birthdays, but why do I think you had something to do with that?"

"Did you have fun?" Jaina wanted to push Elsa against the door, and have her way with her. Just seeing her, with her hair ruffled from her fingers and the little smile she only gave Jaina was enough to make Jaina forget her plans. She contented herself with a quick kiss.

"Yes, but I've been thinking about you all night." Elsa slid her hands up Jaina's arms.

"And that's one reason I wanted to make sure you and Anna had time together." Jaina did enjoy spending time with Anna too, and Anna and Elsa together, but she also knew the value of a sibling relationship, if only because hers had been completely ruined by the years she'd spent in Dalaran growing up.

"Thanks." Elsa watched as Jaina disentangled herself from her grip and move over to the desk to pick up her present, "She roped Kristoff in, too, but I actually had fun with pin the tail on the reindeer."

Jaina was almost sad she'd missed that.

"Now, I actually have two things for you, but if I give you the other thing first we'll never get to this one," Jaina joked, hoping her embarrassment wasn't super obvious. She hoped this feeling fluttering around in her chest at the thought of making love to Elsa never went away, but she didn't have to be a telepath to see the same fluttering in Elsa's chest as she watched her.

"You know you don't have to get me anything," Elsa said. "I learned my lesson about going overboard on birthdays, I'm happy to just spend time with my family."

"I know." Jaina had been working on this off and on for a month. She held the box out, grinning mischievously. "Happy birthday, baby."

"God I love when you call me that." Elsa seemed embarrassed to admit that, but Jaina smiled at her.

"Our little secret."

Carefully, Elsa unwrapped the box, her actions delicate. She frowned when unwrapping the present revealed - more wrapping paper. She repeated her delicate unwrapping, and then again, and again. Slowly, Elsa lifted her head up to glare at Jaina. "Very funny. Is this some kind of enchanted wrapping paper or did you actually wrap it fifteen times?"

"A little bit of both," Jaina admitted, a manic gleam in her eyes.

"Oh I'll make you pay for this," Elsa hummed.

"I don't think you will," Jaina replied in an almost matching sing-song voice, watching in glee as Elsa finally guessed at the trick and just ripped the paper apart.

Elsa held up the box, shooting Jaina another glare. "Let's see what all this fuss is about."

Jaina tried not to hold her breath. She failed as Elsa opened the box and gently lifted a silver chain. There was a locket dangling from it, also silver, with tiny glittering sapphires and diamonds around the edge. Jaina had had a snowflake engraved on the lid.

"It's beautiful…"

"Open it."

At Jaina's encouragement, Elsa flipped open the locket, and an image of Anna appeared, floating above the locket. Elsa's eyes widened. "How?"

"A little bit of magic, and a little bit of Draenei technology," Jaina explained. "Touch the side there and think warm thoughts."

Elsa did so, and another image appeared, this time of Olaf. Her face broke into a huge smile as she started to go through the images Jaina had enchanted into the locket. There was her whole family of course; Anna and Olaf, Kristoff and Sven, Iduna and Jaina. There were images of them all together, or in pairs or threes. Elsa's eyes were watering but she was holding it together until she got to the last two images.

One of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna together, and another of them with their young daughters. Elsa stared at their faces, her tears falling in streams down her face. She put her hand over her mouth and then looked up at Jaina and for a moment Jaina was second-guessing that decision.

And then Elsa was hugging her, her face buried in her chest, her tears warm on Jaina's skin. Jaina embraced her, rubbing at her back and pressing her cheek into Elsa's hair. After a moment, Elsa pulled her head back and smiled despite the tears. "Thank you. This means … it means everything."

Carefully, Elsa returned the locket to its box and then put it on the desk. Jaina walked up behind her, rubbing her arms and then pulling her back against her and hugging her tightly. She whispered in her ear, "I love you," and then kissed it as Elsa took her hands and threaded their fingers together.

After a moment, Elsa turned around in Jaina's arms, leaning up to kiss her. Jaina let it linger, drawing it out as long as she could before letting go of her fiancée and taking a few steps back. "Close your eyes."

Elsa looked curious, but closed her eyes. Jaina inhaled, and started to strip out of her dress. She tossed the gown onto a chair and tried to strike a pose like one of the pictures in the steamy romance novels that filled up an entire section of the book shop in Dalaran. She felt completely ridiculous, until Elsa opened her eyes.

"I … uh … wow." Seemingly reduced to monosyllabic words, Elsa's eyes tracked up and down Jaina. "You good. Look good. You look good."

Jaina smiled, and crooked her finger at Elsa. "So do you want to stare all night or do something about it?"

Three things happened one after the other. First, ice appeared under Jaina's feet, then she was sliding and finally she was flat on her back on the bed and Elsa was on top of her. "I love you too," Elsa gasped, eyes darting every which way as if she didn't know where to start looking or touching.

Paper crinkled under Jaina's arm, and Elsa grabbed the bag from Varja's. She opened it and looked in, eyes growing wide and skin flushing. "Oh. Uhm. Hello. I think … you can give that to me on Christmas."

Jaina covered her face with her hands, "She snuck that in on me I swear."

"I'll send her a thank you card after the New Year," Elsa quipped. She dropped the bag off the bed, where it landed with a thump, then leaned back over Jaina, pulling her hands away from her face and grinning down at her. Lightly, she kissed Jaina, then straddled her sitting up. Slowly, Elsa melted her dress away and Jaina drank her in as she did so. That would never get old.

Elsa arched her back as Jaina ran her hands up her stomach and chest, teasing her breasts lightly for a few moments before Elsa regained her senses and playfully swatted at her. "It's my birthday and I want to unwrap my present. Or at least, some of it." Her fingers trailed along the edge of Jaina's bralet, and then slipped under it. "Parts of it can stay on…"

Jaina remembered the first time Elsa had seen her naked. The way she'd looked at her and the tenderness of her hands and lips. How reassuring she'd been, how much effort Elsa had gone through just to show Jaina that she was wanted and desirable. Jaina moved her hands up Elsa's legs, studying her face, memorizing the details and adoring every one. "You saved me, you know."

"Mm?" Elsa lifted her eyes to Jaina's face, though she didn't stop in slowly torturing Jaina with deft, elegant fingers on her skin. Leaning forward and grinding her hips slowly against Jaina's, Elsa whispered, "Don't say that. You saved yourself. The only thing I'm willing to claim is pointing you in the right direction."

Curtained by Elsa's hair, Jaina smiled up at her. Elsa shimmied a little when Jaina dug her nails into her hips, and then ground down again, sending a spike of lust and love through Jaina. They kissed, Jaina's head swimming as she fell deeper and deeper, marveling at how every time, she loved Elsa more.

And it scared her, if she was honest. Scared her that this would all be taken from her, like everything else she'd ever loved. But she pushed that thought away, and focused instead on Elsa, and the passion she felt for her.

Slowly, gently, Elsa lifted her head, and smiled mischievously. She leaned over and fumbled around until she found the bag again. "You know what, I changed my mind. I want you to give this to me now."

Oh Gods. Jaina grinned nervously, then started to sit up so she could roll Jaina onto her back.

"No," Elsa said, a tone in her voice that made Jaina's insides quiver as she pressed her hand onto Jaina's chest and pushed her back down. "I want you just like this."

"Whatever you want, birthday girl."

"…the stockings definitely stay on."


	24. Epilogue

It took incredible levels of courage to tell Sylvanas Windrunner to stay out of her own town for two weeks. But that was exactly what had happened in early January, when Princess Rapunzel and her remaining Dark Rangers had effectively ganged up on her. That had been a hell of an entertaining sight, and she'd acquiesced, puttering around in Arendelle the whole time, driving Proudmoore up the wall like some sort of unwelcome relative on an elongated stay.

In other words, she'd enjoyed the _hell_ out of that two weeks. But all good things must come to an end, and while she wouldn't admit it, Sylvanas was deeply curious as to what the Princess had planned to be able to convince the Forsaken to tell their Banshee Queen to fuck off, as it were.

Not that long ago such a ballsy move would have led to executions; Sylvanas would have considered it some kind of insult.

But much had changed in a short time, as though hooks in her soul had loosened somewhat. Not enough to lower her guard, but perhaps enough to be willing to give her people a longer leash.

"Are you ready to go?" Proudmoore asked, perhaps a little too eagerly. She was eyeing Sylvanas like she was envisioning throwing her into the fjord if that meant it would get rid of her.

By some miracle, Sylvanas didn't grin at her. But she did smile. "Almost. I've enjoyed my stay, and have made significant progress with the Queen." And displayed the preternatural ability to find ways to interrupt Jaina and Elsa when they'd been about to become intimate.

The first time had actually been an accident, but the next four times had been out of sheer amusement and spite.

"Yes, it's great," Jaina said, twisting her hands up as she called up a portal _just_ for Sylvanas. "Please don't hesitate to enjoy your time. In your own home. Far far away from here."

"And give Rapunzel my love," Elsa said, a glint in her eye that told Sylvanas the entire situation was amusing to her.

Oh, she would _have_ to conspire with the Queen some day against Proudmoore, just for the fun of it. Sylvanas didn't stop to think about the idea of doing anything 'for the fun of it' before she inclined her head, and then stepped through the portal.

She stepped out into clear skies and the warm sun, in the center square of Blighton. She paused to look around as the shops and stalls manned by Forsaken and human alike. Banners waved at her, bearing the sigils of the Forsaken and of Corona both. The most subtle of changes stood out to her; color.

There was so much _color_ here. Most of it subdued, but many had adopted red and yellows to go with the blacks, whites and purples that Sylvanas had long associated with her people. Sylvanas didn't know what it meant yet, or how she felt about it.

As she studied the town, a Sin'dorei wagon rumbled by, followed by a Coronan on a tall horse. A mule train was winding its way on the road towards the town, led by a Troll. Sylvanas was just about to make her way to the troll when someone grabbed her arm.

It was only Rapunzel's scent that prevented her from losing her head. "You're back! And just in time, we have a surprise for you."

"We?"

"Yes, we. Well, myself and a few others. Come on! It's a little bit outside of town, but not too far. We figured you'd like a little privacy."

Sylvanas exchanged a look with the chameleon on Rapunzel's shoulder, who shrugged, before she fell into step with the Princess. "Did you draw the short straw, or are you trying to get me alone?"

Rapunzel glanced at her. "That's not that hard, you know."

"Is that a threat?"

"You've really got to let the paranoia go." Rapunzel slipped her arm through Sylvanas's, "I mean that. Not everyone is out to get you and maybe, sometimes, people actually want to do nice things for you."

"I have a hard time trusting," Sylvanas said, head up and eyes pointed straight ahead. As always, Rapunzel was so _alive_ that it drove her to distraction. She didn't just shine like the sun, energy and positivity flooded off of her in waves. And yet, occasionally, Sylvanas could catch glimpses underneath the sun, of the shade and shadows obscured by the light. Past hurts and present insecurities, proof that no one was perfect. There were layers to Rapunzel, something that Sylvanas could appreciate and peel away at.

And that was not the only thing about Rapunzel that Sylvanas found herself wanting to peel away. But there was a certain vulnerability to those thoughts that she immediately dismissed.

"Well, trust is something that you have to work at, isn't it? Something you do every day."

"So I've been told." Sylvanas glanced back at Blighton as it went out of view, at what it meant for the living and the dead to coexist. She felt familiar pangs in her chest, something almost like fear. Not for herself, but for how easily it could all go wrong. If she closed her eyes she could hear the drums of war.

Rapunzel stopped, forcing Sylvanas to as well. She reached up and touched the Warchief's cheek and Sylvanas almost recoiled from the heat before she stopped herself. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong." Sylvanas studied Rapunzel's face, "Which is exactly what is wrong."

"I'm not following."

"There is too much to say right now, too much history that you are not privy to." Sylvanas reluctantly took Rapunzel's hand and pulled it away from her face, "The Forsaken have long been regarded as monsters, as things to be destroyed and then left to a history written by those who despise us."

"I know enough," Rapunzel said. "And I'm ready to listen whenever you're willing to talk. But I know that it wasn't originally your choice, or theirs."

"It was kind of you to offer to help. Dangerous, but kind." Sylvanas stepped away, even if Rapunzel felt like a flame to be drawn to. "They decided we were monsters, so we became monsters, at times."

Rapunzel rushed forward and hugged her, which was somehow worse than the snowman hugging her, and simultaneously better. Sylvanas held her arms out, fingers curled into claws. "What are you doing?"

Rapunzel looked up at her. "I'm not stupid, Sylvanas. I can see how you hold yourself, how you care for your people. Maybe others don't, but I do. But I'll bet your asking yourself what you'll do now that your dream is in reach. Now that they're safe, and now that you're safe."

Sylvanas frowned, finally lowering her arms. Safe? Did she really feel safe? _Could_ she ever?

Her voice was low, dangerous. "Get to the point, Princess."

Grabbing her hand and pulling away, Rapunzel started to lead Sylvanas through the forest again. "Have you thought about it?"

"I don't dream." She was still unsure what Rapunzel was getting at, or what she intended to show her. Sylvanas reached out, fingers in Rapunzel's hair before she remembered how she'd reacted the last time. She tugged once, lightly, almost teasingly, then let go.

The action threw Rapunzel off a little, that same mixture of excitement and reactionary fear from the last time. But before Sylvanas could probe, Rapunzel came to a stop. Her face was flushed when she looked at her. Like she didn't believe her. "Maybe it's time you tried to find a new dream. Something for yourself, and no one else."

Something for herself had been something out of reach since the day Arthas had flayed her very soul and the idea was so foreign to her she barely recognized the tightness in her chest. Sylvanas opened her mouth to give an acidic answer, but fell silent when she saw what was in a clearing beyond the Princess.

There was a _house_. A manor really, with three floors and a dozen windows facing them. The design was unique, inspired by Sin'dorei architecture and Forsaken aesthetic, giving it an almost haunted elegance. There was even a tower, perfect for hiding archers and mages, that reminded her so much of her old home in Quel'thelas before she'd died, that Sylvanas was momentarily speechless.

"See, I thought you should have your very own place," Rapunzel said. "And I conscripted Ladies Kalira and Tyra to help me, along with like, okay every Forsaken in town. It was kind of funny, Tyra kept flirting with Eugene and his reactions were kind of cute since I think she was just trying to make me jealous or something. But Vereesa really- Sylvie?"

Not really listening, Sylvanas stepped past Rapunzel, approaching the manor. There was even a tall, wrought iron fence with an imposing gate. If Sylvanas could breath, she would have been holding her breath. If her heart could beat, it would have skipped a few.

If she could cry, she might have shed a tear. She knew the Forsaken revered her. And yet… "You got my people to build this?"

"I barely had to suggest the idea before plans were being drawn up. There's uhm. Well a lot of rooms and a big ballroom, though I didn't think you'd be hosting too many visitors all that often, but it's good to plan ahead."

Sylvanas waved a hand in acknowledgement as she pushed open the gate. "As Warchief I expect to hold meetings. I can work with this."

But the political usefulness of her own manor wasn't really what was preoccupying Sylvanas. It was the manor itself, and what it could possibly represent for her, if she only had the will to take it.

Rapunzel led the way up to the double doors that marked the front entrance, pushing them open dramatically. "Welcome home!"

Home.

Orgrimmar had not been home. Even the Undercity hadn't entirely felt like one. The last time Sylvanas had felt at home had been in Quel'thalas before the plague and the Scourge. On a sunny day, in a field of flowers…

She dismissed the thought before it could go any further.

But this was not a home. Not her home. Not yet, maybe not ever. There was no place that Sylvanas could ever _call_ home and she was not so foolish as to dream the impossible. She looked at Rapunzel, at the smile on her face, and kept that thought to herself.

❄️

Anna had a bit of a conundrum. She had news to impart upon her loved ones but the question was _who to tell first_. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, to have two people she loved more than anything and be presented with this kind of problem, but she also didn't want to hurt either Kristoff or Elsa.

She folded her arms, staring in the mirror. Under most circumstances both of them would understand no matter who she told, but in this case, she kind of already knew the answer. She had to find Kristoff.

Grabbing her cloak, she walked out of her room and went searching. She checked a couple of rooms before she left the castle and stepped out into the late winter air. It was crisp and chilly, but she could smell spring on the breeze and smiled. In just a couple of months, her sister would be getting married.

As far as Anna was concerned, this was going to be one of the best years of her life. But before she could get very far, she thought she saw a flash of green and she spotted Iduna playing by the castle wall, tugging at some vines. She walked over, "Sweetheart, what are you doing? Shouldn't you be inside?"

"I'm growing," Iduna declared, patting the vines like one would pat their own child. She turned and looked up at her mother.

"Okay," Anna ruffled her hair. "You're definitely growing. And your birthday is coming up." She leaned in and whispered, "Want to know a secret?"

The girl nodded, expression open.

"Since your Auntie Elsa is getting married on your birthday, we're going to have an extra special birthday party for you the day before. How does that sound?"

Iduna thought about that for a moment. "Auntie Jaina for my birthday?"

That was one way to look at it, Anna supposed, and if Iduna ever told Jaina that she was certain the woman would break down and cry. "Yes, you get another Aunt for your birthday. So is it okay to celebrate your birthday the day before?"

"Yeah!"

"I'm really happy to hear that." Anna pointed towards the door, "Now get inside."

Iduna gave the vines one more pat before she ran indoors. Anna squinted at them for a moment, trying to remember if they'd been there the last time she'd come this way, then shrugged and pulled her cloak closer.

She nearly tripped over Olaf, "Oof!"

"Good evening," Olaf said.

She took his hand and started to walk. "Good evening, Olaf. Have you seen Kristoff?"

"He went out to the farms with Soyun and a couple of other people."

"Is something wrong?" Anna's insides turned to ice.

"Something about a cow. Kristoff said she was popping early." Olaf scritched his snowy chin. "I didn't know cows could pop. You learn something new every day!"

Anna laughed. "I think he means she's going to give birth early. Come on, lets hurry!"

She started to run, Olaf running close behind. Up the cobblestone streets and around and around until they reached the farms. She could see several people gathered near the barn, and slowed to a jog as she approached.

Besides Kristoff and Soyun and a Forsaken friend of Soyun's, Anna could make out Elsa, Jaina and the Night Elf Manadh, along with a long-haired, dark skinned human woman who had her hand on Manadh's back. Anna had chatted with Manadh numerous times since they'd first met. If the druid was here, that was either a hopeful sign … or not.

Elsa spotted her and smiled tightly. "Thank goodness, Olaf found you."

Anna frowned, and looked at Olaf. "You were supposed to find me."

"I fucking did didn't I?"

"Olaf!" Elsa covered her mouth with her hand, exchanging a look with Anna. Anna knew that they were going to have to talk to Olaf about that later.

And probably Jaina. "We're going to have to have a talk about appropriate use of language later, Olaf."

He looked at her confused, and she sighed before joining her sister. "So what's going on?"

"There was a complication with one of the cows," Elsa whispered back. "It's a few weeks too early for her to give birth, but she's in labor."

"That's not too bad…" Anna's mind flashed back to the animal husbandry studies that both she and Elsa had gone through. It was one of the things they both kept up on, actually, along with their personal interests.

"No, but there's still risk. I asked Manadh to help."

"This is the sort of thing that's right up a druid's alley," Jaina assured her, squeezing her shoulder.

Manadh's ears twitched, turning in their direction before her head did. She smiled. "I'm more than happy to help. Compared to some of the things I've had to deal with, this is legitimately a joy."

She stepped forward and knelt next to the laboring cow. She placed her hands on the cow's side and closed her eyes as green energy started to coalesce around her. "Kristoff, if you'd come here? The calf feels strong, but its going to need help coming out."

"Got it." Kristoff got onto his knees, resting a hand on the cow.

"Aveline, lend me some of your Light. Lady Proudmoore, a light spell if you would?"

"Of course, love." The dark-skinned woman rolled up her sleeves and joined Manadh. A soft golden glow spread from her to the cow, joining the green nature energy from the druid.

Jaina held her hands up, casting a light spell that hovered over them to give them more light. She didn't seem to mind being ordered around, and Anna liked that about her.

She leaned against Elsa, watching, and remembering a time Elsa had to help deliver a cow a few years ago. "At least you don't have to get your hands dirty this time."

"I would," Elsa protested. "But this is better for the cow."

"I know." Anna teased, elbowing her in the ribs. She wondered if having both kinds of magic was a bit of overkill but supposed this was a way better use of magic than other applications. The golden light was something she had never actually seen before, except maybe the one time she'd seen King Wrynn use a spell.

But the scar over Aveline's left eye and how well built she was reminded Anna more of one of Arendelle's guards or soldiers, than someone who walked around being all priesty.

Tearing her eyes from the woman, she looked at Kristoff, her heart soaring as she watched him work. Her love for him grew day by day, and she was so _proud_ of him. Elsa noticed where she was looking, and took her hand, "You know, he was the best decision you ever made."

"No," Anna disagreed, squeezing Elsa's hand. "The best decision I ever made was sacrificing myself for you."

Elsa pursed her lips. "The best decision you ever made that didn't put yourself into mortal danger."

"Fair." Anna grinned.

"So when are you going to tell him?"

"Wait, what?" Anna snapped her had to look at Elsa. Elsa simply smirked at her and raised her eyebrows, "_How_."

"I have my ways. Also you've been sick a lot lately."

Anna groaned. "_Elsa_, I wanted to tell him first this time, I still feel so bad that I accidentally told you about Iduna first."

"Technically, you haven't told anyone yet, and I'll make sure to look surprised."

Huffing, Anna swatted Elsa on the shoulder. She wasn't _super_ mad, and it wasn't _her_ fault Elsa had figured out she was pregnant.

But she _definitely_ needed to tell Kristoff tonight. Though it could wait just a while longer. There was another baby that was more important right now, and Anna smiled proudly as it was born.

❄️

Elsa twirled her hands, her hair spiraling up into a braided crown with glittering ice and snowflakes. Then she frowned and brought it down her back, then over her shoulder, then she magicked it loose, then into an updo bun with a snow-flake tipped pin, then into a ponytail, and finally back into the braid down her back.

None of it was working. Everything _else_ was perfect. Elsa's skin was dusted with snow and ice, her white dress glittered and sparkled like a glacier, hugging her hips before spreading into a skirt that surrounded her feet in a snow-flake pattern. The train trailed behind her, whispy and near transparent and just as sparkling.

But she couldn't figure out what to do with her hair, and she only had a few minutes left. She stared at herself in dismay, "We have to cancel the wedding."

"No we don't." Anna came over, looking resplendent in a dress of green and blue that shimmered like the summer sea, though a few adjustments had needed to be made to account for the bulge in her belly. She had her hair up in a way that made her look so much like their mother that Elsa's heart momentarily ached.

"I can't get my hair right. I've had weeks and I can't get my hair right."

Anna sighed, and took Elsa's hair out of the braid and started to brush it. "As your sister and your maid of honor, I'm going to put my foot down and make an executive decision for you."

"Okay, okay."

Finishing brushing out Elsa's hair, Anna looked around, then picked up a tiara. "Good choice. Here." She put it on Elsa's head, checked to make sure it looked good with the locket, anchor pendant, and their mother's ring, and then said, "Sparkles here and here, and some snowflake patterns to finish out the look."

Elsa did as she was told and looked at herself in the mirror again, at the way her hair looked with the shimmering fabric of her dress, with the elaborate snowflake pattern etched into it. As an after thought, she added a few more sparkles to her bare shoulders, back and arms. "I think … I'm really starting to like myself with my hair down."

"And that's the most important thing, isn't it?" Anna stepped in front of Elsa and started helping her apply a few finishing touches to her make-up. Honestly, they had servants for this kind of thing but both women had always preferred each other, or just themselves.

"Liking myself?"

"Mmhm." Anna tilted her head left, and then right, "So are you ready?"

"They say everything changes."

"They're wrong. And they're right." Anna kissed her cheek, "The important things stay the same, and the changes are just … life."

Elsa swallowed, and then nodded. She liked the way Anna and Kristoff's marriage had changed the both of them, without making them lose sight of who they were to themselves and each other. It was the sort of marriage Elsa wanted, once that she'd decided she wanted it.

Anna held her arm out, "Ready, sis?"

Elsa took it, and allowed Anna to lead her out. There was no one else in the world she wanted than Anna to perform this most joyful of duties. And the closer she got, the less the butterflies and snow flurries in her stomach bothered her.

The wedding platform had been formed out of ice, extending several hundred meters out into the fjord, because Jaina Proudmoore was a Daughter of the Sea, and Elsa of Arendelle a Daughter of Ice and Snow, and this was the best way to bring their elements together. It rose up in a dome of thin columns, the floor a pattern of ice with an anchor centered on it. Intermingled with real, fragrant flowers were roses, asters and gardenias lovingly created out of ice. There were two aisles, one starting at the south-east, and the other the north-east, and they joined together on the platform in front of everyone assembled.

She saw Jaina at the other end of the aisle, being walked by Anduin. Elsa nearly tripped over her skirt, staring at her. Jaina's hair was down as well, the blonde-streaked white shimmering in the spring sunlight. Her dress was white, with a simpler pattern than Elsa's though the skirts were wider and more ruffled and she actually had sleeves. She had on a boned corset that had to have been _extremely_ uncomfortable but from the beaming smile she gave Elsa she didn't seem to mind. The effect was magnificent.

Jaina _had_ once told her she'd been the kind of girl to dream of her wedding, and Elsa hoped this lived up to such expectations.

Even before they were brought together, Elsa could see the light and joy in Jaina's eyes, as though there was a future and one they could face together. Elsa glanced around as she tried to remember what she wanted to say and knowing if she looked at Jaina for longer than a heartbeat she wouldn't be able to look away the rest of the night.

She smiled at Anna, almost bouncing in place, then looked to Kristoff's smiling face and Sven standing dapperly beside him. Olaf and Iduna with their flowers and the rings, and all their friends from Arendelle and Corona and the Horde and the Alliance.

Anna had arranged seating arrangements in such a way to force intermingling, and Elsa briefly wondered what was going through some of their minds. What they might be thinking, sitting next to whoever they were sitting next to. But most faces were either happy or at least some form of neutral to positive. Or _impassive_, in the case of the Warchief sitting between Princess Rapunzel and High Priestess Whisperwind. Either Anna was hoping they'd bury the hatchet or counting on decorum to keep them from killing each other.

Elsa gave Sylvanas a little smile and then turned back to Jaina. She wanted to reach out, to touch her and kiss her and hold her. Jaina looked like she was about to start floating away, and compared to how she'd been when they first met, she might very well lift off the ground.

"Kul Tiras had a tradition of marriage at sea," Jaina said, voice rough. "But I'd thought we'd do it on land because of how much you _ground_ me. I should have known you'd find a way to bridge our elements and connect the both of us. You showed me how I could find peace again, how to find purpose in a way I'd forgotten was possible. To … to be _happy_. So I make a promise to do right by you, to love and to cherish you and every day we have together."

"I had a whole speech planned but now I've forgotten it," Elsa said, blinking her eyes to dry them and smiling. "I never expected to meet someone at all, let alone someone from another world entirely. I had my family, I had Arendelle. But you quite literally landed at my feet and every day since has been like a new discovery for myself and in myself. I'll love you day by day and year by year, for as long as you'll have me."

"That's a very long time," Jaina whispered.

"Good."

Jaina barely waited for the go ahead, before she had Elsa's face cupped between her hands, kissing her like the world itself depended on their union. But even such a kiss must eventually end and taking Jaina's hand, Elsa turned to face her friends, her family and her people.

Kai's voice proudly rang out, "Presenting Princess Jaina Proudmoore, Queen Consort and Her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

"Ready?" Elsa asked, holding Jaina's hand tight in her own.

"Always."

Together, they held out their hands and threw their magic up into the sky. It exploded and flashed like thousands of tiny stars in silver and blue, green and gold as ribbons of every other color of the rainbow waved like the aurora. And as the colors spiraled and spun above them, Elsa looked at her wife and whispered, "Is it everything you wished for?"

"Yes and much more than that." Jaina tipped Elsa's chin up, and kissed her again. And again. And again, in one of the many ways she would continue to do so for many more years to come.

_**Fin**_


End file.
